Yemen Fighting: Houthi Offensive Leaves 300 Dead, Families Flee

More than 300 people have been killed in days of intense fighting between Yemen's internationally recognised government forces and Iran-backed Houthi rebels, as an offensive in the southwestern Taiz governorate forces hundreds of families to flee their homes.

The fighting is centred on the districts of Maqbanah and Jabal Habashi, where the Houthis have launched an assault aimed at disrupting government-held positions and cutting the route towards the strategic Red Sea port city of Mokha.

An AFP tally based on military and medical sources from both sides puts the number of combatants and civilians killed since the offensive began at more than 300. The latest fighting has also triggered a fresh wave of displacement in an area already devastated by Yemen's prolonged civil war.

Death Toll Crosses 300

The latest escalation has produced heavy casualties on both sides.

Military officials from Yemen's Saudi-backed government forces told AFP that 84 government troops were killed between midday Saturday and early Sunday, with officials saying most died in missile attacks.

Four Houthi military sources separately reported 57 rebel fighters killed during the same period.

The figures have not been independently verified and the overall toll includes casualties reported from different military and medical sources since the offensive began on Thursday.

The continuing clashes have made it difficult to establish a definitive civilian death toll.

Families Escape Heavy Fighting

The violence has forced families from Maqbanah and Jabal Habashi to abandon their homes.

Displaced residents have been arriving at temporary shelters carrying mattresses, household belongings and livestock. Some families fled with little more than the clothes they were wearing as fighting intensified around their communities.

One displaced resident from Maqbanah described being caught between attacks from different directions while trying to escape with her children.

Other displaced residents said they had witnessed wounded and dead people on the ground but were unable to reach them because of the continuing fighting.

The latest displacement has added to Yemen's already severe humanitarian crisis.

Houthi Offensive Targets Mokha

The current offensive began on Thursday, with Houthi forces attempting to advance through areas around Maqbanah and Jabal Habashi.

Government forces said the Houthis were seeking to cut the route connecting Taiz with Mokha, a strategically important port city on Yemen's western coast.

A government military official said Houthi forces managed to cut the road linking Taiz to Mokha on Saturday evening.

Control of this route would have important military and logistical implications because of Mokha's position along Yemen's Red Sea coastline.

The fighting is also taking place relatively close to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints.

Red Sea Route Under Pressure

The latest battle has raised concerns over security around Yemen's western coastline and the wider Red Sea region.

Mokha lies north of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and provides a crucial maritime route between Europe and Asia.

The Houthis have previously attacked commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, linking their campaign to the wider regional conflict involving Israel, the United States and Iran.

Any sustained fighting around Taiz and Yemen's western corridor could therefore have consequences extending beyond the immediate battlefield.

UN Reports Fresh Displacement

The United Nations has warned about the humanitarian consequences of the escalation.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said around 1,790 households had been displaced by intense shelling and clashes in Maqbanah and Jabal Habashi.

The number represents families rather than individuals, meaning the total number of people forced from their homes is considerably higher.

Many displaced residents are sheltering in difficult conditions with limited access to food, water and other basic necessities.

Humanitarian organisations face additional challenges in reaching communities located close to active front lines.

Guterres Voices Concern

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed deep concern over the renewed fighting.

A spokesperson for Guterres warned that the escalation could have serious political, economic and security consequences for Yemen and its population.

The warning comes as international efforts to secure a lasting political settlement in Yemen remain fragile.

The country has endured years of conflict between the Houthi movement, which controls much of the north and the capital Sanaa, and forces aligned with the internationally recognised government.

The conflict has created one of the world's most prolonged humanitarian crises.

Yemen War Remains Unresolved

Yemen's conflict escalated dramatically after the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention the following year in support of the government.

A prolonged period of fighting followed, involving multiple Yemeni factions and regional powers.

A UN-brokered truce in 2022 significantly reduced large-scale violence, but it did not produce a permanent peace agreement. Sporadic clashes and political tensions have continued.

The Houthis have also expanded their regional military role through attacks linked to the broader Middle East conflict.

The renewed fighting in Taiz now threatens to deepen humanitarian suffering and further complicate efforts to revive a nationwide political settlement.

Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

For civilians in Taiz, the immediate priority remains survival as fighting continues around their homes and access routes.

Families fleeing Maqbanah and Jabal Habashi face shortages of food and basic supplies while humanitarian agencies struggle to respond to rapidly changing displacement patterns.

The battle for the Taiz-Mokha corridor also gives the latest escalation a strategic dimension beyond the immediate front lines.

Whether government forces can reopen the route and halt the Houthi advance remains uncertain. For civilians already displaced by years of war, however, the latest offensive has brought another wave of fear, flight and uncertainty.