Voice of Urdu – International News in English & Urdu

Yemen Forces Claim Strategic Mount Qarfan in Taiz Battles — AI-generated representative image. A rugged mountain ridge in Taiz governorate, Yemen, overlooking the Red Sea coast, reflecting the strategic highlands contest

Editorial Team

Saudi-backed troops gain fire control over Red Sea valleys as Houthi clashes and displacement persist

Yemen's Saudi-backed government forces say they have taken full control of strategic Mount Qarfan in the western governorate of Taiz after fierce battles with Iran-aligned Houthi fighters. Government troops, assisted by local fighters, secured the mountain on Tuesday, according to a statement from the Yemen Armed Forces Media Center, as the warring sides battle for control of highlands overlooking the Red Sea coast.

The capture of Mount Qarfan carries significant strategic weight because it would give government forces commanding fire control and surveillance over the valleys between the ash-Shamaytaun and al-Waziiya districts in southern Taiz governorate. The clashes unfold amid a widening conflict that has displaced more than 158,000 people this month and killed hundreds since early August.

Battlefield Developments

Major General Abdulaziz al-Majidi, chief of staff for the Taiz military axis, said troops engaged in "fierce battles" with Houthi rebels, killing five fighters and wounding 20 while achieving the "restoration of control" of the mountain. There was no immediate comment from the Houthis on the government forces' claim.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said on Tuesday that Houthi forces shot down a reconnaissance drone over Mocha in Taiz governorate. He also said Saudi warplanes carried out 19 air strikes over the past day, targeting locations in Taiz, al-Jawf and Marib governorates. The government-aligned Yemeni News Agency separately reported that Houthi forces shelled residential neighbourhoods in central Taiz city, causing damage to homes.

Strategic Significance and Regional Tensions

The Houthis seized Yemen's Red Sea coast this month, including the port of Mocha, and have launched an attempt to push into the Kahboub Mountains in Taiz and Lahj governorates. Control of those strategic heights, which overlook the Bab al-Mandeb strait and Mayyun Island in the Red Sea, would allow the Houthis to sever the coast from the remaining government-held south.

Analysts say the Houthis are likely seeking control of the mountains to provide a defensive shield for their forces on the coast. "The mountains are the natural wall that protects the Houthis' rear on the coast. Controlling them would cut the coast off from the government-held south and place direct pressure on Lahj and, in the longer term, Aden," said Faozi Al-Goidi, a visiting fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs.

The fighting continues amid mounting regional tensions set off by the United States-Israel war on Iran.

Civilian Toll and Displacement

The World Health Organization said 674 people had been killed and almost 3,000 injured in renewed fighting since August 6, including 164 deaths and 516 injuries between September 13 and 18 alone. More than 158,000 people have been displaced this month, according to Yemen's Executive Unit for the Management of Displaced Persons Camps.

Ibrahim Al-Huri, an assistant professor at the University of Saba Region, said civilians are paying "the highest prices" in the war. "Three thousand people have crossed the sea to Djibouti and Somalia to seek refuge and safety, using primitive boats, putting their lives at risk," he said. "People have become desperate. They have lost their homes, their farms, their sources of income, and many of them have fled to overcrowded camps where people are already in a struggle to access food, sanitation, water and medical facilities."

Current Status and Next Steps

The government forces' claim of control over Mount Qarfan has not yet been independently confirmed, and the Houthis have issued no immediate response on the specific battle. Fighting continues across multiple governorates, including Taiz, al-Jawf and Marib, with no official indication of a ceasefire. Further updates on the situation are awaited as the humanitarian and displacement crisis continues to deepen.