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Intense Battles in Taiz Claim 80 Lives in the Past 24 Hours

Intense Battles in Taiz Claim 80 Lives in the Past 24 Hours

The battles are taking place on several fronts in the province's countryside, particularly in those overlooking the western coast, which the Iran-backed Houthis had taken control of more than two weeks ago.

Experts and observers say the Houthis are working to isolate the city of Taiz, which remains in the hands of the Saudi-backed government forces.

Yemeni government military sources told Agence France-Presse that the Houthis blew up a small bridge on the only road linking Taiz and Aden, where the interim Yemeni government is headquartered, halting traffic and transportation.

Taiz is the third-largest city in Yemen by population. The government forces are stationed there, while the Houthis control several areas in its vicinity.

Houthi military sources reported that the number of Houthi fighters killed in the past 24 hours in Taiz province was 55.

For its part, Yemeni government military sources reported the death of 26 government forces soldiers.

The government-affiliated Saba News Agency reported that the government forces carried out a series of airstrikes over the past hours, targeting Houthi movements, reinforcements, vehicles, and gatherings in Taiz, while the Houthi-affiliated Saba News Agency reported last night that Saudi Arabia targeted Sanaa and the provinces of Saada, Taiz, Amran with airstrikes.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree accused Saudi Arabia on Friday of launching "94 airstrikes and missiles" targeting "civilian objects in the provinces of Sanaa, Saada, Taiz, Hajjah, Amran, Ibb, leaving civilian casualties and injuries" over the past 24 hours.

He added that the attacks were carried out with "F-15 and Typhoon aircraft taking off from Khamis Mushait and Taif bases and missile aggression from Najran and Jizan".

These are the first airstrikes the Houthis accuse Saudi Arabia of launching on Sanaa since they accused Riyadh of bombing Sanaa Airport to prevent an Iranian plane from landing there in July.

Saree pointed out that the total number of Saudi airstrikes since the escalation began was "1350 airstrikes and missiles".

The Houthis regularly accuse Riyadh of bombing their areas of control in Yemen, while they target Saudi areas with drones and missiles in return.

In contrast, the Saudi-led military coalition announced on Friday the interception and destruction of four Houthi ballistic missiles heading towards Khamis Mushait in southern the Kingdom.

In July, a truce concluded in 2022 between the Houthis and the Yemeni government collapsed, and they announced a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in response to the air blockade imposed by the Riyadh-led coalition supporting the internationally recognized Yemeni government, and resumed targeting its tankers and oil facilities.

Over the past weeks, the Houthis have expanded their control over several areas at the expense of the internationally recognized government, including the entire western coast overlooking the Red Sea, including the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait area, which has gained increasing importance for Riyadh for exporting its oil, amid Iran's restriction of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

The war in Yemen began in 2014 when the Houthis launched a large-scale attack on the Yemeni government forces and took control of Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, which is one of the poorest countries in the world. Since 2015, Saudi Arabia has led a coalition supporting the internationally recognized Yemeni government, exacerbating the conflict.

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