A massive Yemen army strikes Sanaa Houthi casualties Taiz border crossing operation escalated military operations across the country on Saturday. Military spokesperson Colonel Majed Abdullah al-Nazili confirmed that government forces launched targeted strikes against vital military positions in Houthi-controlled Sanaa. Furthermore, the army reported conducting nearly 500 operations over 24 hours, resulting in 1,540 Houthi casualties. Heavy fighting centered primarily around the western suburbs of Taiz, halting recent rebel advances.
Because of security risks and attempted rebel infiltrations, military authorities closed the vital al-Houban border crossing in Taiz on Saturday. Army spokesperson Ammar al-Sami’i explained that the route, originally reopened in 2024 for humanitarian relief, connects Houthi-held al-Houban with government-controlled Taiz.
However, intense artillery shelling and heightened troop presence forced an immediate shutdown. Consequently, thousands of civilians in surrounding districts face forced displacement. Reports from Samea indicate unprecedented civilian departures as mountain combat intensifies between opposing forces.
The collapse of the 2022 truce last July sparked widespread offensives across western Yemen. Earlier in September, Houthi fighters captured the port city of Mocha and strategic islands in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Although government lines have stabilized recently, intense artillery bombardment continues to cause civilian casualties, including infants in residential areas.
Ultimately, the closure of key transport corridors and heavy military strikes in Sanaa worsen Yemen’s ongoing humanitarian crisis. International relief organizations warn that mass displacement will exacerbate existing food shortages across the country.
Reference
Al Jazeera. (2026, October 3). Yemen army claims 1,500 Houthi casualties in past 24 hours and strikes Sanaa. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/3/over-1500-houthi-casualties-in-past-24-hours-yemeni-army-says