The "Ansar Allah" group (Houthis) announced on Thursday evening that they had repelled a "combat formation" in Taiz province, forcing it to leave using ground-to-air missiles. Meanwhile, they accused Saudi Arabia of launching 64 airstrikes on four Yemeni provinces over the past 24 hours.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated that "the Saudi air force conducted 64 airstrikes in the last 24 hours on the provinces of Taiz, Hodeidah, Marib, and Al-Jawf."
Saree claimed that the strikes were carried out by "F-15" and "Typhoon" jets, which, according to him, took off from King Fahd Air Base in Ta’if and King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait.
"Combat Formation" in Taiz
In another field development, Saree announced that his group's forces managed to thwart a "combat formation" in the Taiz province.
He said: "Our armed forces successfully confronted a combat formation in Taiz province just moments ago, forcing it to leave by targeting it with several locally-made ground-to-air missiles."
The Houthi spokesperson did not specify the nature of the targeted formation or which group it belonged to, and independent verification of the incident’s details was not possible.
Clashes Near Bab al-Mandab
These developments occur alongside increasing battles on the western coast of Yemen, amid media reports that the Houthis have tightened their control over Zuqar Island, with ongoing clashes in Dhubab overlooking the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Reports also speak of fierce clashes in the city of Mocha and its surroundings, amid news of Houthi advances toward Bab al-Mandab, although independent confirmation of the territorial control or force deployments is absent.
The Houthis had launched a broad offensive on the western frontlines, with reports of taking control of Hayis and Al-Khoukha districts in southern Hodeidah before the battles moved towards Mocha's surroundings in western Taiz province.
Widespread Escalation
Recent days have witnessed escalating tensions in Yemen, as clashes between Houthis and government forces renew and operations expand from Taiz and the western coast to Hodeidah, Marib, Al-Jawf, and Al-Bayda.
The escalation has also extended into Saudi territory, with Houthis accusing Riyadh of bombing their sites, while the group announced targeting Aramco facilities in southern Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen's legitimate government reported 73 civilians injured due to Houthi attacks targeting, as they claim, civilian and economic structures in several Saudi cities, describing the escalation as "dangerous."
The Houthis had earlier reported that six Yemeni provinces were subjected to 54 airstrikes within 12 hours, later updating the number to 64 strikes over 24 hours targeting Taiz, Hodeidah, Marib, and Al-Jawf.
These fast-paced developments, particularly the battles in Mocha and Dhubab, indicate a significant pivot in the conflict near the strategically important Bab al-Mandab strait.