Yemeni killed in Houthi attack on Taif
Amidst peak Islamic outrage over Iranian proxies in Yemen crossing red lines and desecrating sacred sites, the Houthi militia continued its heinous attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the Taif province with a drone today, while the group wages what appears to be a decisive battle to gain closer control of the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Saudi Civil Defense announced that it responded to the fall of drone debris in Taif province after intercepting and destroying the drone, which was launched by the Houthi militia. The incident resulted in the death of a Yemeni national resident, the injury of a Saudi female citizen, and a Pakistani national resident in critical condition, along with material damage to several buildings and vehicles.
In the wake of the backlash against the Iran-aligned militia’s attempt to target the Holy City of Mecca with a drone, Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sajjad Haidar Khan called on the Houthis to cease their “activities,” stating that the situation in Bab el-Mandeb represents a grave concern.
For its part, the Turkish Ministry of Defense condemned the Houthi drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, warning that the continued threat in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb negatively impacts regional security, international maritime trade, and global stability.
Meanwhile, The Washington Post revealed that Egypt and Oman are leading mediation efforts with the Houthis to give diplomacy a chance, following their secret talks with U.S. officials at the U.S. Embassy in Muscat and their renewed commitment to the ceasefire agreed upon in May 2025 and ensuring the Bab el-Mandeb Strait remains open.
On the ground, despite the rapid advance of the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen and the fall of the coastal city of Al-Mukha, the island of Mayun (Brim) in the Red Sea, the town of Dhaw Bab, and the coastal village of Murad in the Hanish Archipelago (with its three islands) into their hands, the militia’s—designated as a terrorist organization—full control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has hit a solid geographical and military obstacle in the Kahub Mountains.
According to available information, the Southern Al-Amalqa forces, supported by units of the Yemeni army and elements of “Shield of the Nation,” have fully secured all strategic and commanding positions in this mountain range.
The Al-Amalqa forces confirmed that they forced the remaining Houthi militia elements to flee after suffering heavy casualties in personnel and equipment. Meanwhile, field sources stated that the forces managed to recapture commanding positions in the mountain range belonging to the Al-Mudharia and Ras Al-Ara district, west of Lahj Governorate.
The Kahub Mountains derive their importance from their unique geographical location; they provide high ground overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb Strait directly, granting whoever controls them the ability to monitor the shipping lane and surrounding coastal areas.
While the coastlines remain relatively exposed, the mountainous terrain offers elevation, concealment, and superior defensive positions. The Houthis had been seeking to advance into Kahub to secure their forces deployed in the exposed coastal areas and to establish a terrain shield to protect their movements from airstrikes and artillery. However, the southern forces, supported by the Shibah tribes, thwarted these attempts, inflicted heavy casualties on the militia, captured two of the attackers, and downed a suicide drone targeting the front lines.
