Current Wars in the World See 13 Yemeni Troops Killed in Houthi Offensive Near Taiz
Clashes continue across multiple global conflict zones with Yemeni government forces reporting 13 troops killed in Houthi attacks near Taiz and the Red Sea coast, while two Palestinian teenagers were killed in an Israeli settler and army raid in the West Bank, and reconnaissance fighting persists in the drained Kakhovka Dam basin in Ukraine amid current wars in the world.
Yemen Clashes Escalate Near Strategic Red Sea Areas
Yemeni army claims it captured Houthi-held military positions in southwestern Yemen after fighting erupted when Houthis launched attacks on army positions in western Taiz province. [1] Thirteen Yemeni government forces, including two officers, were killed in clashes as Houthis tried to advance toward Bab al-Mandab strait and sever the route between Taiz and Mokha. [5] The Houthis launched an offensive along the western Red Sea coast in a bid to advance toward Bab al-Mandab, a military source said. [5] Most of those killed were on the frontlines between the government-held coastal city of Mokha and the inland city of Taiz, while the others died in clashes near the Red Sea coast. [5] The Houthis were trying to sever the route connecting Taiz and Mokha to cut off the port city, which has come under relentless attack in the past month. [5] Official news agency Saba also reported "fierce fighting" between government forces and the Iran-backed group west of Taiz, as well as reporting Houthi missile and drone fire. [5] A field officer in Mokha told AFP his men were "fighting fiercely to repel the massive Houthi offensive." [5]
Yemeni Army Reports Capturing Houthi Positions
Yemeni army claims it captured Houthi-held military positions in southwestern Yemen. [1] Fighting erupts after Houthis launch attacks on army positions in western Taiz province, military says. [1] The Houthis launched a broad offensive along frontlines on the western Red Sea coast, in a bid "to advance toward Bab al-Mandab and areas held by government forces," a military source said. [5] "According to an initial toll, 13 government troops -- including two officers -- were killed," the source said, requesting anonymity. [5] Another military source said most of those killed on Thursday were on the frontlines between the government-held coastal city of Mokha and the inland city of Taiz. [5] Saba reported "sustained escalation by the Houthi terrorist militia across several battlefronts west of Taiz and along the West Coast". [5]
Two Palestinian Teens Killed in West Bank Raid
Two Palestinian teenagers, Omar Muhammad Na’san, 19, and Khalil Rasem Shahada, 16, were killed in an attack by Israeli settler militants and army troops on the village of al-Mughayyir in the occupied West Bank. [2] The Israeli military said in a statement its forces had entered al-Mughayyir to provide security for police officers and an Israeli civilian seeking to retrieve livestock. [2] During a settler attack aimed at stealing sheep, the Israeli army killed a Palestinian boy and a young man on Wednesday evening in the village of Al-Mughayyir, east of Ramallah. [4] According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Omar Muhammad Na’san, 19, and Khalil Rasem Shahada, 16, were shot dead by Israeli soldiers. [4] Marzouq Abu Na’im, a member of the village council and an activist documenting settler attacks there, told Middle East Eye that armed settlers attacked a house to steal livestock. [4] The Israeli army then stormed the village to provide protection for the settlers and took up positions on the roof of the targeted house. [4]
Ukraine's Drained Kakhovka Basin Becomes New Combat Zone
The drained Kakhovka Dam basin in Ukraine has transformed into dense vegetation that now serves as terrain for limited Russian reconnaissance patrols and Ukrainian ambushes, acting as a natural obstacle between the forces. [3] When the Russian Army exploded the Kakhovka Dam in June 2023, the landscape changed dramatically. [3] The body of water, which was once so large that people living nearby sometimes called it a “sea”, caused catastrophic flooding downstream. [3] Upstream, the exposed basin experienced a dramatic transformation, with lush vegetation taking over the terrain. [3] Tall weeds, tangled bushes and willow thickets sprouted from the soil that had been underwater for decades. [3] The changed landscape has become the theatre for a new type of combat between the Russian and Ukrainian armies. [3] While drones have become ubiquitous across frontlines in Ukraine, they aren’t as helpful when it comes to spotting the enemy in the dense thickets of the former basin. [3] Several media sources have recently described the direct combat that has taken place in the boggy terrain. [3] Ukrainian forces try to track and ambush Russian infantry units attempting to infiltrate the area by stepping into the tree line themselves to engage Russian troops in firefights. [3]
Russian Reconnaissance Strategy in the Dnipro Region
Russian forces maintain small infantry detachments in the former Kakhovka reservoir bed for reconnaissance to keep pressure on Ukrainian troops without launching a major offensive. [3] “When it exploded, the reservoir mostly emptied out, leaving a narrower river and a reservoir bed,” said Emil Kastehelmi, a military analyst from the Finnish Black Bird Group, who is familiar with the Zaporizhzhia oblast. [3] “Even in its narrower form, the Dnipro River is still a significant water obstacle that would be an issue for the advancing Russians to cross,” he added. [3] “The area of the dried-out riverbank should be considered as a no man’s land because it’s possibly easier for the Russians to enter,” said Kastehelmi. [3] The expert spoke to FRANCE 24 about Russia’s presence in the former basin, which he said was only for reconnaissance purposes and could “not be the basis for a larger, more significant offensive”. [3] The forest there isn’t fully grown yet. So infantries can move somewhat concealed in the area, but it’s not the same as some older and denser forests. [3] There’s also a certain type of vegetation that grows in these old riverbanks. It’s not like it could provide the same kind of shelter as actual forests. [3] Second, the area is full of smaller streams and ponds. It’s not an easy terrain where troops can move as freely as they do on solid ground. [3] There’s a limited amount of combat in the area. Smaller Russian infiltration and reconnaissance patrols operate in this area, just like Ukrainian ones. [3] Yet these are smaller infantry detachments. [3] They want to keep some pressure on the Ukrainians. They have the manpower to keep the pressure up in multiple areas at the same time. [3] Losing a few squads to Ukrainian drones every now and then isn’t a big issue for the Russians. [3]
Broader Context of Ongoing Global Conflicts
The incidents reported in Yemen, the West Bank and Ukraine illustrate active fighting in current wars in the world. [1][2][3][4][5] Yemen, embroiled in more than a decade of civil conflict, in July became the latest country to be embroiled in the Middle East war as the Houthis upended a 2022 truce with Yemen's Saudi-backed government. [5] The rebels welcomed an Iranian plane to Yemen's capital Sanaa, setting off a spate of attacks. [5] They later announced a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia and began hitting its ships and territory. [5] Last month, Yemen's information minister Moammar al-Eryani warned that the Houthis were plotting to seize land along the Bab al-Mandab strait, which would allow them to further threaten the vital shipping artery. [5] The battle for Zaporizhzhia has been going on for a prolonged amount of time and there are active battles in some areas of the Zaporizhzhia oblast. [3] The Russians have been trying to advance toward the city, but it’s really a difficult thing to do. [3] They haven’t had much progress throughout the years. [3]
What to watch next: Continued Houthi efforts to advance toward Bab al-Mandab, further settler and army operations in West Bank villages such as al-Mughayyir, and ongoing small-unit reconnaissance patrols in the drained Kakhovka basin.
