Yemen Houthi Attack Repelled in Lahj, 340,000 Displaced
Yemen’s government-aligned forces said on Saturday they had repelled the latest Yemen Houthi attack, in the southwestern province of Lahj, as the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said fighting has displaced more than 340,000 people since August.
The government-aligned Giants Brigades said they had “repelled a Houthi attack in the Al-Mudharaba district” in Lahj. The forces posted a video on Facebook that they said showed Houthi fighters fleeing after the attack was repelled.
State-run media also reported airstrikes on Houthi reinforcements in the neighbouring province of Taiz. The government-run Saba News Agency said warplanes hit Houthi reinforcements in Wadi al-Sahya, in Taiz’s Al-Shamayatayn district. It gave no further details, and the Houthis issued no immediate comment.
Saba also reported that Yemeni emergency forces had “seized a large shipment of drone components” that it said was bound for the Houthis. The agency aired footage it said documented the seizure but did not say where or when the operation took place. The Houthis issued no immediate comment.
Why Lahj and Taiz matter in the Yemen Houthi attack
The government controls most of Lahj, which borders the interim capital Aden to the north and west. Key roads linking Aden to other provinces pass through it, and some districts lie near the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden.
Taiz is Yemen’s most populous province, home to about 12 percent of the population. It links northern provinces, including Ibb and Sanaa, with southern provinces such as Lahj and Aden, and holds the Red Sea port of Al-Mokha.
Government forces control the city of Taiz and other parts of the province. But the Houthis have advanced in recent weeks in rural and coastal areas of Al-Mokha, Al-Shamayatayn, Al-Ma’afer, Jabal Habashi and Al-Wazi’iyah, according to an Anadolu correspondent. The Houthis now control most of the province, with some areas still contested.
Offensive aims to retake Sanaa
Yemeni armed forces vowed to continue operations to achieve the objectives of Operation “Dawn of Yemen”, while taking measures to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Launched on October 5, the operation aims to restore state institutions from Houthi control and recapture the capital Sanaa, according to Rashad al-Alimi, head of the Presidential Leadership Council.
Fighting has intensified since July, particularly in Taiz province, which overlooks the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The escalation has ended a period of relative calm that began in April 2022, further worsening the humanitarian crisis.
Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government since 2015 against the Houthis, who have controlled Sanaa and several other provinces since the previous year. The war has produced wave after wave of displacement, and Saudi strikes on Houthi resources in Hodeidah and the Sanaa funeral for 44 people killed in an alleged Saudi strike show how the fighting keeps shifting between provinces.
What the displacement means for the region
The IOM figure points to the human cost of the renewed fighting. More than 340,000 people have been displaced since August, and the numbers keep rising as front lines shift around Taiz and Lahj.
Pakistan has kept out of the Yemen conflict. A Senate leader urged Pakistan to stay out, and Pakistan has also raised Yemen at the United Nations, where it engaged on Yemen sanctions.
For readers in Pakistan, the fighting also matters for shipping. The Bab al-Mandab Strait carries traffic between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and three oil tankers were hit by mines in the Strait of Hormuz this week, a reminder of how fast Gulf shipping can turn dangerous. Pakistan has urged de-escalation in the Gulf as tensions rise.
The next test is whether government forces can hold Lahj and push back in Taiz. Either way, the displacement figure is likely to rise before it falls.
Frequently asked questions
What happened in Lahj?
Government-aligned Giants Brigades said they repelled a Houthi attack in the Al-Mudharaba district on Saturday and posted video they said showed Houthi fighters fleeing.
How many people have been displaced by the fighting?
The International Organisation for Migration said on Friday that more than 340,000 people have been displaced since August.
Where else is fighting under way?
Airstrikes were reported on Houthi reinforcements in Wadi al-Sahya, in Taiz province. The Houthis have advanced in rural and coastal parts of Taiz in recent weeks.
What is Operation Dawn of Yemen?
It is a government offensive launched on October 5 that aims to restore state institutions from Houthi control and recapture the capital, Sanaa.
Why do Lahj and Taiz matter?
Lahj borders the interim capital Aden and sits near the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Taiz is Yemen’s most populous province and holds the Red Sea port of Al-Mokha.
