Yemeni forces say they repel Houthi attacks in Taiz as fighting rages

Government forces say dozens of Houthi fighters killed in southwestern governorate during battles for strategic highlands. Yemen's Ma'rib camps overwhelmed as thousands flee renewed fighting Yemen’s government-aligned forces say they have repelled Houthi attacks along several fronts in the southwestern governorate of Taiz as heavy fighting continues in the Arab world’s poorest country. 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. But government forces repelled the attacks, killing and wounding dozens of Houthi fighters, he said. There was no immediate comment from the Houthis on the government’s report. The renewed hostilities come amid mounting regional tensions set off by the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran. The Houthis, who seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014, are fighting government-aligned forces for control of the strategic highlands in the country’s southwest, including the Kahboub Mountains in the Taiz and Lahj governorates. They took control of the port city of Mocha and the Red Sea coast this month.

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