Yemeni forces say they repelled Houthi attack in Taiz amid wider escalation
Yemeni government forces say they have repelled a Houthi attack on positions along the al-Mafalis front south of Haifan in Taiz province. The reported fighting comes amid a broader rise in military activity across several governorates. Officials aligned with the government also said air defences intercepted Houthi reconnaissance drones over al-Makha in the southwest.
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An official from the Tor al-Bahah military axis said the army's 4th Infantry Hashd Brigade pushed back the attack on the al-Mafalis front. The official said the Houthis suffered heavy losses, although no independent casualty figures were provided. A government forces spokesman, Waddah al-Dubeish, said air defences engaged drones belonging to the Houthis over al-Makha.
The latest claims follow a government announcement on Wednesday that it had struck Houthi positions and gatherings with artillery and drones in several governorates. State television said several Houthi fighters were killed and wounded in shelling around al-Fakhir market in the northern part of al-Dhalea Governorate. Deputy information minister Fayyad al-Numan also said government forces had carried out intensive shelling with heavy artillery and drones on Houthi positions on several fronts.
The reported exchanges matter because they point to a widening pattern of confrontation after a period of relative calm in Yemen. The head of the Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, said there would be no action by the Houthi movement without a comprehensive response or deterrence. He also said the government did not favour a new truce that would repeat past experiences, and instead backed a permanent peace based on a state that monopolises weapons and sovereignty.
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Yemen has seen a relative lull since April 2022, but the current reports suggest that front lines remain active and that both sides are still capable of launching and countering attacks. The locations mentioned in the latest fighting, including Taiz, al-Makha and al-Dhalea, indicate that the escalation is not confined to one front. The use of artillery and drones also shows that the conflict continues to involve both ground and aerial tactics.
It remains unclear how many casualties were caused in the Taiz fighting, whether the drone interceptions over al-Makha caused any damage, and how far the reported strikes reached across the other governorates. The government has not provided a full operational assessment, and the Houthi movement has not been quoted directly in the supplied material. Further statements from military officials are likely to clarify whether the escalation is continuing or whether it is part of a short-term exchange of fire.
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