Houthis test Yemeni government defenses
Amid its insistence on expanding the conflict front and threatening navigation in the Red Sea to alleviate pressure on Iran, the Houthi militia group “Ansar Allah” has escalated its military operations, particularly in Taiz and Al-Dhale’, while the Yemeni government has intensified its diplomatic efforts to rally regional and international support to end the coup and secure maritime corridors.
Military sources and the Taiz Axis Media Center confirmed the killing of several Houthi militia members and their forced retreat following clashes and artillery shelling targeting their positions, with readiness levels remaining high in anticipation of any new attacks.
Clashes also erupted in the Al-Barah axis on the western coast after Houthi movements were detected along the contact lines. Military sources confirmed that the rebel militia continues to test the defenses of government forces through infiltration operations and mutual shelling, without achieving significant battlefield changes.
According to local sources, the Houthi militia has continued targeting civilians in Taiz Governorate, resulting in new casualties from sniper fire in the Maqbana district, further exacerbating the humanitarian situation in areas near the front lines.
In Al-Dhale’, clashes resumed on the Al-Fakhar front in the northern part of the governorate, where one soldier was killed and two others were injured while repelling a Houthi infiltration attempt. Government forces confirmed that the Houthis continue to deploy military reinforcements to the contact lines, amid intermittent clashes that reflect the ongoing strategy of attrition between the two sides.
In this context, Yemen’s Deputy Minister of Justice, Faisal Al-Majidi, affirmed today that sustainable protection of international navigation will not be achieved unless it is accompanied by the restoration of the legitimate government’s Yemeni institutions, the end of the Houthi militia’s rebellion and coup, and the monopolization of weapons by the state.
Meanwhile, the Israeli “Natsiv” platform reported that intelligence received in recent hours indicates that Egypt is sending significant naval reinforcements to the southern Red Sea near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, adding that Tel Aviv is monitoring these movements.
The Israeli platform added that Israeli surveillance is focusing on the massive strategic “Berenice” naval base on Egypt’s Red Sea coast, which is operated by Egypt.
