Saudi-backed forces advance near Bab el-Mandeb as Houthis encircle Taiz
Yemeni government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, retook the towns of Dhubab, Bab and Hadeid near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to Yemeni officials cited by the Associated Press. The Houthis have taken territory around Taiz, raising the prospect of encircling the city, while both sides report attacks and air strikes; the Houthis also accused Saudi Arabia of striking a Taiz market, a claim DW said could not be independently verified.
Bottom line — The Associated Press reports at least 959 people killed in the latest escalation, with 174,097 displaced inside Yemen.
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The Houthis said their attacks targeted Saudi military sites and infrastructure; Saudi Arabia had not immediately commented on the claims, Al Jazeera reported.
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The Associated Press said the Saudi-led coalition deployed 100 fighter jets in support of the government offensive, citing coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki.
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The Houthis took Turbah, on a road linking Taiz with Aden; the Institute for the Study of War said the capture could constrain government forces’ ability to reinforce and resupply positions.
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DW reported that the Yemeni government confirmed strikes on a Houthi depot and vehicles near Taiz, while the Houthis said at least seven people were killed in a market attack.
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The Houthis have taken parts of Yemen’s Red Sea coast and islands near Bab el-Mandeb, a waterway through which about 12% of global trade passes, according to the Associated Press.