Toll from Yemen clashes passes 300 as civilians flee homes
Government forces and Iran-backed Houthi fighters have battled for days over a Red Sea gateway in the deadliest flare-up since July’s ceasefire collapse.
Taiz, Yemen - The death toll from recent fighting between government forces and Iran-backed Houthi rebels in southwest Yemen has surpassed 300, as hundreds of families flee their homes to escape the violence, according to military officials and displaced persons. Between Saturday afternoon and early Sunday morning, 84 government troops were killed, mostly in missile attacks, while 57 Houthi fighters were reported killed during the same period.
The conflict over control of a gateway to the Red Sea has become the deadliest flare-up in Yemen since a ceasefire collapsed in July 2022. Displaced families took refuge at Al-Bareen camp, setting up shelters with mattresses, livestock, and belongings. Rawdhah Hasan, a displaced woman from Maqbanah, described the rebels surrounding her and her family from all directions, forcing them to flee without even putting on shoes.
An estimated 1,790 households have been displaced due to intense shelling and clashes in Maqbanah and Jabal Habashi districts, according to the UN agency for humanitarian coordination. Middle East experts warn that the Houthi offensive aims to exploit a weak front line at Mokha, cutting ties between Taiz and Bab al-Mandab, potentially leading to further escalation and devastating consequences for Yemen.
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