WW3 Map Updates Show Yemen Government Forces Repel Houthi Assaults on Taiz Supply Route

Updates from the ww3 map show Yemeni government-aligned forces repelled Houthi attacks on multiple fronts in Taiz province, including attempts to seize the strategic Hejat al-Abd supply route and positions in the Kahboub Mountains, as fighting escalates in the civil war that has largely been frozen since a 2022 truce.

Recent Clashes in Taiz Province

Government forces reported killing and wounding dozens of Houthi fighters in clashes in Taiz’s Wadi al-Maqatirah and Al Ahkum areas, with no immediate Houthi comment. [1] Colonel Majid al-Nuzaili, spokesman for the Saudi Arabia-backed government forces, said on Thursday that the Iran-aligned Houthis launched coordinated attacks on Wednesday night in a bid to reach positions on a key road connecting the Aden, Lahj and Taiz governorates. [1] Government forces repelled the attacks in Taiz’s Wadi al-Maqatirah area, “inflicting losses in lives and equipment”. [1] Government forces killed and wounded “dozens” of fighters in clashes earlier on Wednesday in the Al Ahkum area of Taiz. [1] On Tuesday, government-aligned forces said they had thwarted Houthi attacks in the mountains and taken full control of Mount Qarfan, further to the east, which overlooks valleys linking southern Taiz with the western coast. [1] The steep, winding mountain pass, known as Hejat al-Abd, is a lifeline for forces fighting on behalf of Yemen's government. [3] Seizing parts of the Taiz-Aden road could allow the Houthis to tighten their grip around Taiz and deal another blow to the government. [3]

Houthi Advances Along the Red Sea Coast

Houthis seized the port city of Mocha and the Red Sea coast this month, advancing toward strategic highlands overlooking the Bab al-Mandeb strait that could sever the coast from the government-held south. [1] The Houthis are fighting government-aligned forces for control of the strategic highlands in the southwest, including the Kahboub Mountains in the Taiz and Lahj governorates. [1] They took control of the port city of Mocha and the Red Sea coast this month. [1] Control of the Kahboub Mountains, which overlook the strategically important Bab al-Mandeb strait and Mayyun Island in the Red Sea, would allow the Houthis to sever the coast from the remaining government-held south. [1] The group seized the port of Mocha before taking the remaining Red Sea coastline and islands, extending its control to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the mouth of the Red Sea. [3] On 10 September, Ansar Allah captured the Red Sea port city of Mocha during a major offensive. [5] The group then advanced south, reportedly reaching the coastal town of Dhubab on 11 September, before moving against strategic islands near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, including Mayun and the Hanish Islands. [5]

Yemeni government forces repel Houthi assaults on Taiz supply route. — Source: thenewarab

Civilian Impact and Displacement

UN agencies documented at least 674 killed and nearly 3,000 injured since August 6, with 32 civilians including 15 children and 3 women killed; over 133,000 people displaced by the fighting. [1] The World Health Organization said this week that 674 people had been killed and almost 3,000 injured since August 6, including 164 deaths and 516 injuries from September 13 to 18. [1] UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said his office has documented the killing of 32 civilians, including 15 children and 3 women, since August in fighting, including drone and missile strikes. [2] Violence has flared along old front lines in recent weeks, including around Taiz as the Houthis swept south along the Red Sea coast, prompting a humanitarian crisis with over 130,000 people displaced and some fleeing to Africa across the Red Sea. [2] On 22 September 2026, IOM Yemen DTM recorded the increase of 2,220 individual IDPs compared to the previous report, making the displacement between 1 August to 22 September reach an approximate of 133,494 individuals. [4] More than 700 people have been killed and thousands wounded in the latest fighting, according to the United Nations. [3] Nearly 130,000 Yemenis have been displaced within the country, while more than 3,000 have fled by boat across the Red Sea to Africa. [3]

Saudi and Houthi Cross-Border Actions

Yemeni government forces repel Houthi assault on the strategic Hejat al-Abd supply route in Taiz province. — Source: jerusalempost

Houthis claimed Saudi forces conducted 988 attacks including 52 air strikes since the escalation, while firing dozens of missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia including a strike on Riyadh. [1] The Houthis said on Wednesday that Saudi forces had carried out 52 air strikes and missile attacks on the governorates of Hodeidah, Taiz, al-Bayda, Marib and Saada, causing deaths and injuries, including women and children. [1] They said Saudi forces had carried out 988 attacks since the latest escalation began. [1] The Houthis have fired dozens of missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in recent weeks, including a strike on the capital, Riyadh, on Saturday. [1] On Wednesday, Saudi Civil Defence authorities issued alerts warning of potential attacks in Jazan and Najran, two provinces that border Yemen. [1]

Broader Context and Outlook

The latest fighting marks a sharp escalation in Yemen's civil war, which had largely been frozen since a 2022 truce. [2] The Houthis, who seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014, are fighting government-aligned forces for control of the strategic highlands in the southwest. [1] The Houthis seized the capital Sanaa in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention the following year in support of the internationally recognized government. [3] A UN-brokered truce in April 2022 temporarily reduced major combat operations. [5] Bab el-Mandeb is one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints, connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and forming a key artery for trade between Asia and Europe via the Suez Canal. [3] About 7% of global oil output passed through the strait in June, according to Kpler data cited by Reuters. [3]

Analyst Expectations for Prolonged Fighting

Ahmed el Shalfi, Al Jazeera’s Yemen affairs editor, said he expected the fighting to be prolonged. [1] “The Houthis are determined to hold on to their important gains in the western coast in Mocha and Bab al-Mandeb while the government forces are equally determined to drive them out of these places or to defend the highland positions for fire control over the coast and these areas,” he said. [1] “So the war between the two sides is a back and forth. That could well continue and drag on and could also involve attrition on all sides.” [1] A Middle East analyst piece notes that the Houthis have learned from years of war and refined their military capabilities and tactics over years of conflict to expand their territorial and political leverage. [5] The same piece adds that internal divisions within the anti-Houthi coalition have translated into poor coordination, making the Houthis more difficult to counter. [5]

What to watch next: Analysts expect prolonged back-and-forth fighting as both sides contest control of western coastal and highland positions amid mounting regional tensions linked to the US and Israel actions against Iran.