After Red Sea losses, Yemen’s government forces hold the line

What the report says

Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched heavy attacks on frontlines in Taiz governorate on Thursday, after their recent offensive that captured parts of the country’s Red Sea coast. According to Al Jazeera, government-aligned forces said they have so far удержained their positions and claimed losses against Houthi fighters, while the fighting has not produced a major shift on the ground.

The report says the Saudi-backed, internationally recognized government is not yet preparing a major counteroffensive. Instead, it appears to be focusing on building up and reorganizing its forces after a call for general mobilization by Presidential Leadership Council head Rashad al-Alimi on September 25. A senior army official in Taiz told Al Jazeera that the plan includes recalling reservists and retraining them alongside local anti-Houthi fighters and civilian volunteers, though the effort is still at an early stage.

Al Jazeera’s reporting points to several reasons the Houthis have not expanded their gains further, including difficult terrain in the Taiz and Lahj areas and stronger government firepower. Field commanders said reinforcements have not yet arrived in large numbers, but government forces have been carrying out frequent strikes by air, drones and artillery. The broader significance is that the conflict now appears to be centered on roads, supply lines and control of high ground near the Bab al-Mandeb area, rather than a swift territorial breakthrough.