Over 300 Killed in Southwest Yemen Clashes as Families Flee Fighting

Taiz — More than 300 people have been killed in recent clashes between Yemeni government forces and the Iran-backed Houthi militia in southwest Yemen, forcing dozens of families to flee their homes, military sources said Monday.

Two government military sources told AFP that 84 of their soldiers were killed between Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, while four Houthi sources reported 57 fighters dead during the same period.

The battles, among the deadliest in years, erupted after the Houthis launched a major offensive Thursday aimed at cutting off roads leading to the coastal city of Mokha, which has faced repeated attacks in recent weeks.

Displaced families from Maqbanah and Jabal Habashi districts in Taiz sought refuge in the al-Bireen camp over the weekend. On Sunday, groups arrived in small trucks loaded with blankets and belongings, setting up makeshift shelters under the scorching sun.

“We came under heavy fire… they surrounded us from all directions, so we fled with our children without even wearing shoes,” said Rawda Hassan, a displaced woman from Maqbanah.

Government sources confirmed that by Saturday evening, Houthi forces had succeeded in cutting the main road linking Taiz to Mokha, raising fears of further isolation of the strategic Red Sea city near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

The escalation underscores the growing humanitarian toll of Yemen’s war, as intensified fighting drives mass displacement and threatens vital supply routes along the Red Sea.