Military confrontations escalated sharply across Yemen as government forces, backed by regional allies, launched intense operations against Houthi positions in the Bab al-Mandab strait and around the contested city of Taiz, according to reports from Tuesday involving heavy fighting and airstrikes across multiple fronts.
Battles in Bab al-Mandab and Airstrikes Across Western Yemen
The clashes in the Bab al-Mandab front involved government forces alongside the Southern Giants Brigades, the National Shield Forces, and the Tihama Brigades against the Houthis. Military sources reported that 97 people were killed on both sides in western Yemen, specifically in the Bab al-Mandab region and its surroundings since Monday night, including 63 Houthi fighters and 34 government personnel. The National Shield Forces and Southern Giants Brigades stated they executed a swift military operation in the Bab al-Mandab axis to seize commanding heights and strategic sites. Meanwhile, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated that they تصدّوا لمحاولة تقدم قامت بها تحشيدات تابعة للعدو السعودي… من الاتجاه الجنوبي لباب المندب
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Operations in Taiz and the Wider Military Campaign
In Taiz governorate, fighting and airstrikes continued across the city and its countryside. Colonel Abdul Bashet al-Bahr stated that government forces and the popular resistance made progress near the al-Hangar point and the Black Mountain, reaching commanding positions overlooking the al-Dabab road. Concurrently, the official spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Colonel Majid al-Nuzaili, announced that 1,276 targeting operations were executed over a 24-hour period under the “Fجر اليمن” (Dawn of Yemen) operation against Houthi military capabilities across various fronts.
Humanitarian Toll in Taiz
The Yemeni Women’s Empowerment Foundation documented in a report titled “The Mothers’ Agony” the killing of 107 women and children, including 23 women and 84 boys and girls, due to violations attributed to the Houthis in Taiz governorate between August 1 and October 15, 2026. The report also recorded 1,321 home break-in cases, the displacement of 4,860 people—including 1,650 women and 3,210 children—alongside 221,630 internally displaced persons, the majority of whom are women and children. The figures documented 32 children subjected to forced recruitment, 1056 instances of crimes and violations related to health services, and 246,110 children outside educational institutions.
Yemeni Government Launches Counter-Offensive Supported by Riyadh
The current escalation follows a counter-offensive launched by the Yemeni government in early October with support from Riyadh to retake areas seized by the Houthis in September, including Mocha and the western coast leading to Bab al-Mandab. The broader conflict reignited in July following the collapse of a 2022 truce, amid a regional crisis that saw an American-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28, 2026. The Egyptian Parliament voted on Monday, October 26, 2026, to authorize President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to provide defensive support to Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stated this month that Egypt is seriously considering joining the Mecca Agreement, while President al-Sisi clarified that Cairo’s proposed military support for Riyadh is to defend Saudi territory and does not include an offensive on Yemen.
Unresolved Questions on the Ground
Despite official military statements regarding territorial gains and heavy Houthi casualties, reports on the ground remain conflicting.
Yemeni Government forces reportedly repelled a Houthi assault on Mount Han, west of Taiz, following overnight fighting. Local military sources say the Houthis suffered significant losses.
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