Yemen’s government-controlled Saba agency said a Houthi missile hit the Heijah al-Abd road south of Taiz, killing at least 4 people and injuring 9; the Houthis did not comment. The strike came amid heavy fighting in Taiz and Hodeidah and an offensive for high ground overlooking Bab al-Mandab. Sources speaking to AFP put the death toll above 120, but none of the figures has been independently verified.
Yemen’s state-run Saba agency, controlled by the internationally recognised government, said a Houthi missile hit civilians gathered on the Heijah al-Abd road south of Taiz on Saturday. The account, attributed to local and medical sources, put the toll at at least 4 dead and nine injured. The Houthi side did not comment. Because Saba is controlled by one party to the conflict, the casualty figures remain that source’s claim without independent verification.[1]
The missile strike came as heavy fighting continued in Taiz and Hodeidah. Military sources speaking to AFP said the Houthi ground offensive, backed by rockets and drones, was aimed at coastal high ground overlooking the Bab al-Mandab strait and routes to the government-held port of Mokha. Government forces said they had retaken several heights on the Haifan front, while government officials also acknowledged that the Houthis had captured a mountain base dominating the surrounding area in western Taiz.[1], [2]
Military and medical sources told AFP that more than 120 people had been killed since the offensive began; none of the reported totals has been independently verified. The UN humanitarian office said the renewed fighting displaced approximately 1,800 families in under 48 hours. The contested high ground overlooks Bab al-Mandab and shipping routes in the Red Sea. Fighting around Taiz has therefore spread along a line that matters both for displaced civilians and for regional maritime traffic.[1], [2]
