Saudi warplanes launched fresh airstrikes on Houthi-held territories in northwestern Yemen on Saturday, 10 October, as ground fighting intensified between Houthi forces and internationally recognised government troops around the southwestern city of Taiz, according to Houthi-run media and a government military source. The strikes represent a renewed escalation in a conflict that has ground on for nearly a decade.

Airstrikes in Hajjah and Hodeidah

Houthi-run broadcaster al-Masirah TV reported that six airstrikes targeted the Abs district in the northwestern province of Hajjah, injuring three people and causing heavy damage to villages in the Bani Hatab area. The channel alleged that 'cluster munitions' were deployed in some of the strikes — a claim that, if verified, would draw fresh international scrutiny given the widespread condemnation such weapons have attracted in previous Yemen operations.

In the neighbouring Red Sea province of Hodeidah, Saudi warplanes reportedly struck a fuel station belonging to the Yemen Petroleum Company in the Bajil district, according to al-Masirah. No immediate casualties were reported from that strike. Saudi Arabia had not publicly commented on either set of strikes at the time of reporting.

Fierce Clashes South of Taiz

On the ground, a government military source confirmed that fierce clashes were underway in Al-Shaqab, within the Sabir al-Mawadim district south of Taiz, as Houthi forces pressed their advance toward Jabal Sabir — a strategically significant mountain that commands a sweeping view of Taiz city and its surrounding terrain.

'The battle for Jabal Sabir is critical because its heights dominate the Taiz city and the surrounding areas,' the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'Government forces are trying to prevent the Houthis from gaining positions that would give them a major advantage over the city.'

Recent Houthi advances have placed mounting pressure on government defenders and severed key road links connecting Taiz with government-held areas in southern Yemen — a development that could affect both troop resupply and civilian movement.

Broader Escalation in Southwestern Yemen

The clashes around Taiz are part of a wider escalation across southwestern Yemen, where government forces — backed by the Saudi-led Arab coalition — have been working to reclaim territory lost to Houthi advances, including around the strategically vital Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Control of the strait carries significant implications for global shipping lanes and regional security calculations.

Notably, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait has been a recurring flashpoint, with Houthi drone and missile attacks on commercial vessels drawing international naval responses in recent years.

A Conflict Entering Its Second Decade

Yemen's civil war traces its roots to late 2014, when Houthi forces seized the capital Sanaa and large swathes of northern Yemen, effectively ousting the internationally recognised government. The Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 in support of that government, which has since relocated to the southern port city of Aden. Despite intermittent ceasefires and UN-mediated talks, a durable political settlement has remained elusive, and the humanitarian toll — already among the worst in the world — continues to mount.

With fighting intensifying on multiple fronts, the coming days around Taiz and Jabal Sabir are likely to prove decisive for the near-term balance of power in southwestern Yemen.