Yemen's Houthi group made fresh territorial gains in the southwestern province of Taiz on 5 October 2026, capturing the strategic city of At Turbah without a fight after government forces withdrew — even as the internationally recognised government announced the launch of a large-scale military campaign to reclaim Houthi-held territory.

At Turbah falls without resistance

A local security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Houthi fighters entered At Turbah — a strategic government-held centre in southern Taiz province — after government forces and allied fighters pulled back to mountainous positions outside the city. Some retreating troops moved farther south into the neighbouring Lahj province following what the official described as 'battlefield setbacks and losses.'

Houthi fighters subsequently deployed at key locations and the city's main entry and exit points. Residents reported that fighters spread along major streets and around public facilities, while many merchants shuttered their shops ahead of the group's arrival. According to residents, the Houthis also used mosque loudspeakers to urge locals not to resist.

The capture marks the first time the Houthis have controlled At Turbah since Yemen's conflict erupted in late 2014, extending the group's recent sweep across southwestern Yemen.

Broader battlefield picture

The At Turbah development was part of a wider offensive push. A Yemeni military official confirmed that Houthi forces had advanced through parts of Ash Shamayatayn and the neighbouring Al-Ma'afer districts, seizing several key positions and forcing government troops to retreat across both areas.

Since launching a major offensive in early September, the Houthis have extended their footprint across Taiz and Lahj, capturing the Red Sea port city of Mocha on 10 September and seizing Mayyun Island — also known as Perim — a day later. Tensions have since intensified in the highlands overlooking the strategically vital Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key chokepoint for global shipping.

Government announces 'action phase'

Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, announced the start of a large-scale military campaign from the Saudi capital Riyadh. In a televised address, al-Alimi declared the government was moving 'from the preparation phase to the action phase' after weeks of military mobilisation, and pledged to retake all remaining areas under Houthi control.

The announcement came even as the Houthis were completing their takeover of At Turbah, underscoring the gulf between stated government intent and conditions on the ground.

Context: A decade of conflict, a sudden escalation

Yemen's war began in late 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government. A UN-brokered truce in 2022 largely halted major hostilities and produced years of largely frozen front lines. The current Houthi offensive, which began in early September, has shattered that relative stalemate and pushed Yemen into one of its sharpest military escalations in years.

The international community, including the United Nations, has yet to formally respond to the latest battlefield shifts. With the Bab al-Mandab Strait in play and a government counter-campaign officially launched, the trajectory of Yemen's conflict appears set to escalate sharply in the days ahead.