Houthis Prepare Large-Scale Offensive on Taiz and Aden to Expand Control Ahead of Negotiations
Houthi forces in Yemen are massing troops in territory under their control to launch a wide-ranging military offensive aimed at seizing control of Taiz and Aden, according to a report published by the Telegraph.
The military escalation has entered its fifth month following the breakdown of a four-year truce. The Telegraph reported that the armed group is seeking to capture the besieged city of Taiz and the southern city of Aden, which serves as the provisional capital of the internationally recognized government backed by the Saudi-led coalition.
Sources from both sides of the conflict told the Telegraph that the planned offensive is designed to maximize territorial control ahead of potential negotiations with Riyadh. The strategy aims to ensure the group enters any future talks from a position of maximum strength.
Another objective, according to the Telegraph’s sources, is to secure a dominant territorial position before engaging in separate discussions with the United States. The group relies increasingly on locally assembled small drones built with smuggled Chinese components rather than fully manufactured Iranian imports, a shift that makes supply lines harder to intercept despite Iran itself being under blockade.
One source said that the group can “تدبّر 60 في المئة من احتياجاتها من دون الحرس الثوري”, explaining that Iran has transferred the necessary manufacturing expertise since 2022 so that its fighters “يهرّبون المواد الخام، لا الأسلحة”.
Fighting Escalates Across Southern Fronts
The military buildup has triggered intense ground clashes across multiple contested governorates. Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported that heavy fighting has erupted along frontlines in Lahij, Marib, and الجوف (Al-Jawf), though frontlines remain largely static.
Clashes in Lahij have spread toward the mountainous regions of Al-Maqatra, Tor Al-Baha, Al-Mudharabah, and Ras al-Aara. Zard Al-Ordon said that these engagements threaten critical supply routes connecting Taiz to Aden and the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait.
Military sources cited by Zard Al-Ordon reported that Houthi fighters briefly seized the village of Al-Majza’ah before counterattacks and reports of recaptured positions. Meanwhile, local combatants and specialized units such as the Al-Amayika and قوات درع الوطن continue to hold defensive positions in the region.
Colonel Majid Al-Nuzaili, the official spokesperson for government forces, outlined the scale of recent operations in Al-Quds Al-Arabi, stating that government air and artillery strikes destroyed dozens of heavy weapons and neutralized numerous combatants.
Houthis Use Terrain and Maritime Leverage to Expand Influence
Tawfiq Al-Jund, a researcher at the Sana’a Center for Studies, explained in an interview with Al-Mahriah that the Houthi advances follow years of local recruitment and network building. He said that the group relies on small, mobile infantry units utilizing mountainous terrain to bypass conventional defenses.
euronews reported that the armed group views the Bab al-Mandab strait as a crucial leverage point to restrict international shipping lanes. The group requires commercial vessels to submit registry data and restricts passage based on national ties to the United States, Israel, Britain, and Saudi Arabia. According to the Ministry of Transport in Sana’a, 1,083 commercial vessels crossed Bab al-Mandab during October, including 550 heading north and 533 heading south.
The International Organization for Migration recorded the departure of hundreds of households from conflict-affected districts amid disrupted daily services and schooling.
As military commands reinforce their respective positions, the results and paths of the confrontations remain unresolved amid changing frontlines.