Yemeni government fighters say drone struck Houthi position in Taiz
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Yemen’s government-aligned Homeland Shield Forces have launched a large-scale operation to retake the al-Waziiya district in Taiz governorate from Houthi control, as fighting intensifies across southwestern Yemen.
The forces said they targeted Houthi fighters with a drone on the al-Waziiya front as part of the ongoing offensive.
Yemen’s army media center said the Homeland Shield Forces had secured strategic hills overlooking the al-Mansoura area, claiming Houthi fighters were retreating from the positions. The Houthis have rejected the claim and said they repelled the government advance.
Al-Waziiya is a mountainous district west of Taiz and east of the Red Sea port of Mocha. Its elevated terrain is considered strategically important because it overlooks areas along the coastal plain and can affect military movements between Taiz and the Red Sea coast.
The district also lies close to the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, one of the world's key maritime chokepoints. The Houthis recently seized Mocha and areas around the strait, prompting government forces to launch a broader counteroffensive to regain the territory.
The al-Waziiya operation is part of the broader “Dawn of Yemen” campaign announced by Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi to retake Houthi-held territory. Government forces have been conducting operations along the Red Sea coast and in areas around Taiz and Bab al-Mandeb.
The escalation follows several days of intense fighting. Reuters reported that Yemeni government forces carried out 20 airstrikes against Houthi personnel, movements, vehicles and military equipment in Taiz province during a three-hour period on October 2.
The renewed fighting has also spread to the coastal front, where government-aligned forces are seeking to reverse recent Houthi gains around Mocha and the Bab al-Mandeb area.
The Houthis have disputed government reports of territorial gains in al-Waziiya, saying their forces successfully pushed back the offensive. Battlefield claims from both sides have not been independently verified.
The fighting is part of a wider escalation in Yemen after years of relative calm following the 2022 UN-brokered truce. The renewed conflict has raised concerns over civilian displacement and the security of shipping through the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb.
