Houthi Forces Seize Key Yemen Town as Saudi-Backed Forces Launch Counteroffensive
Iran-backed Houthi rebels have seized the key town of Turbah in southwestern Yemen, strengthening their position around Taiz as Saudi-backed government forces launch a military counteroffensive.
The capture of Turbah on Sunday came shortly before Yemen's internationally recognised government announced a major military operation against the Houthis, further escalating a conflict that had remained relatively subdued under a four-year ceasefire.
Turbah lies on a major road connecting Taiz with the port city of Aden, the interim seat of Yemen's government. The town has long served as an important position for government forces defending Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city.
The Houthis have also seized villages and areas on the outskirts of Taiz in recent weeks, raising concerns that they could further tighten their grip around the provincial capital.
Houthis expand control along Red Sea coast
The latest Houthi advances have extended beyond Taiz. In early September, the rebels pushed along Yemen's western Red Sea coast, capturing the strategic port city of Mokha and several nearby islands.
The gains have given the Houthis greater control over Yemen's side of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial global shipping chokepoint.
In response, the Saudi-backed government said it was mobilising forces across areas under its control.
Presidential Leadership Council chairman Rashad al-Alimi said the military campaign was aimed at recovering territory held by the Houthis and called for international support.
Saudi military spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki subsequently pledged "full operational support" for government forces and said Saudi Arabia would take necessary measures against continued Houthi missile and drone attacks.
Government forces launch counteroffensive
On Monday, factions allied with the Saudi-backed coalition launched attacks against Houthi positions along the eastern flank of the areas recently captured by the rebels.
Col. Majed al-Nazili, spokesman for the Saudi-backed forces, said government forces attacked Houthi positions in Dhubab, near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The government-allied Giants Brigades also announced a "decisive military operation" in the Bab el-Mandeb area.
Al-Alimi said the campaign, dubbed "Yemen Dawn," had begun with the stated objectives of restoring state institutions, retaking Sanaa and ending Houthi control.
The escalation began in mid-July after the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of bombing Sanaa airport to prevent an unauthorised Iranian flight from landing. The rebels responded with missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia and government forces.
The Houthis later announced a blockade on Saudi shipping in the Red Sea and attacked several Saudi-linked vessels before intensifying their ground offensive along the Red Sea coast.
The Institute for the Study of War said the capture of Turbah could significantly restrict the ability of government-aligned forces to reinforce and resupply positions across Taiz province.
Conflict deepens Yemen's humanitarian crisis
Yemen's civil war began in 2014 when the Houthis captured Sanaa and forced the internationally recognised government to flee to Saudi Arabia. The conflict has since created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.
According to the UN, the latest escalation has killed more than 800 people and wounded over 3,600, while more than 145,000 people have been displaced inside Yemen. More than 3,000 others have crossed the sea into Djibouti.
Yemen's government health ministry also warned last week that the fighting was severely affecting medical services in Taiz. Several health facilities in the province's coastal, western and southern areas have either closed or are operating only partially.
