The key facts

  • The 22nd Mechanized Brigade reported repelling a Houthi attack on the Al-Shakab front south of Taiz
  • According to preliminary brigade data, at least 16 militants were killed and several wounded
  • The fighting is part of the 'Yemen Dawn' offensive; over 200 Houthis were previously reported killed or wounded on Wednesday

Repelled Attack Near Taiz

The Yemeni army said on Friday that its forces repelled a 'large-scale' Houthi attack south of the city of Taiz in the country's southwest. According to a statement by the 22nd Mechanized Brigade published on Facebook, units, backed by local resistance fighters, thwarted the Houthi advance on the eastern and western sectors of the Al-Shakab front — a key southern approach to Taiz. The fighting lasted nearly eight hours.

Casualties and Outcome of the Battle

The brigade said that, according to preliminary data, 16 Houthi militants were killed and several were wounded. According to the brigade, despite the intensity of the assault, the group made no territorial gains. The Houthis had no immediate comment on the army's statement.

Context of the Offensive

The fighting comes amid an intensified offensive by Yemen's internationally recognized government against the Houthis, especially in Taiz province. On Wednesday, the army said that more than 200 Houthi militants had been killed or wounded in clashes on several Taiz fronts, including Al-Shakab, Al-Akrud and Dubab. The clashes are part of the 'Yemen Dawn' offensive, launched earlier this month to retake territories held by the Houthis, including the capital Sanaa.

Background of the Conflict

Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and a number of provinces, leading to intervention by a Saudi Arabia-led coalition the following year in support of the internationally recognized government.