Yemeni Forces Retake Hais District from Houthis — SkimNews
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- Yemeni government forces recaptured Hais district in Hodeidah province on Saturday — a junction linking Hodeidah, Taiz, and Ibb — and advanced toward Houthi positions at the al-Barh junction in western Taiz, per the government-controlled SABA news agency.
- Houthi forces maintain control of Sanaa and several other cities while pushing toward the government-held port of al-Makha and territory bordering the Bab al-Mandeb strait, one of only two entry-exit points to the Red Sea.
- Clashes in Taiz killed more than 60 people including civilians on Saturday, with 26 government soldiers killed in several hours of fighting alone, according to AFP military sources.
- The UN's OCHA reported approximately 1,800 families were displaced over the prior two days as fighting escalated in Taiz.
- Saudi Arabia has conducted air strikes against Houthi positions in Taiz; the Iran-backed Houthis announced a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in July and began targeting Saudi ships and territory.
- The escalation broke months of relative calm that had held since a UN-brokered truce in April 2022, with fighting resuming in early August when government forces attacked Houthi positions across multiple front lines.
Why it matters: The Hais recapture links three provinces under government control, but the Houthis still hold Sanaa and are advancing toward the Bab al-Mandeb strait — a key Saudi oil transit route — meaning the strategic picture remains contested even as both sides claim gains.
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