Yemen forces recapture strategic Hais district amid Houthi clashes

Yemen’s internationally recognised government forces said they had recaptured the strategic Hais district south of Hodeidah, as fighting with Houthi forces intensified across several frontlines.

Hais is a key link between the provinces of Hodeidah, Taiz and Ibb. Government forces also launched a counteroffensive in the neighbouring al-Jarahi district, where they said they had captured dozens of Houthi fighters, says Al Jazeera.

Military drones targeted and destroyed Houthi reinforcements south of al-Jarahi in coordination with ground forces, according to the government.

The fighting has spread across several fronts, particularly in Taiz and Hodeidah provinces and along Yemen’s western Red Sea coast. Government forces also carried out strikes on Houthi positions in Taiz and Lahj, while new weapons systems were reportedly deployed as powerful explosions were heard in Taiz.

Government warns Houthis over escalation

Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, said the military was capable of restoring full government control over the country.

He warned the Houthis that they would face consequences for their actions, saying Taiz “will not be a corridor” for Iran, the group’s main backer. He also said rebel “miscalculations” would lead to their “complete collapse”.

The Yemeni government separately warned that any Houthi movement towards the strategically important Bab al-Mandeb strait would be met with “harsh attrition”.

Military spokesman Colonel Majed al-Nozaili said government forces had directly targeted Houthi positions in response to the group’s “violations and escalation”.

Civilian toll and displacement

The renewed fighting has also taken a heavy toll on civilians. Clashes in Taiz killed more than 60 people, including civilians, in a single day, according to the information provided.

Houthi shelling also struck a civilian gathering on the road linking Taiz and Aden, killing four civilians and injuring nine others.

The escalation has displaced nearly 1,800 families in two days as fighting intensified in Taiz, adding to the humanitarian pressures in a country that has been embroiled in conflict for more than a decade.