Yemeni Army Reports 300 Houthi Deaths in Taiz Push as Missiles Reach Mecca

The Yemeni army claims to have killed 300 Houthi fighters in a 24-hour offensive in Taiz province, a figure that underscores the intensity of the ground war even as aerial strikes expand the conflict's geographic reach.

Colonel Majed Abdullah al-Nazili, a Yemeni army spokesman, announced on Saturday that government forces conducted more than 700 targeting operations in the preceding 24 hours. He stated these actions neutralized 300 Houthi fighters and disabled military vehicles. The operations focused on field command centers, Houthi gatherings, weapons depots, and supply lines in Taiz, a region where clashes have persisted for days. Al Jazeera could not independently verify these figures.

The escalation in ground combat follows the collapse of a fragile ceasefire in July. Since that agreement fell apart, Houthi forces have used long-range strikes to target Saudi energy infrastructure and airports. The conflict has intensified as the group pressures both its regional rival and the Yemeni government it opposes on the ground.

Houthi forces launched a new wave of attacks on Saturday, targeting locations in Saudi Arabia and Aden. The Yemeni government's Transport Ministry condemned the targeting of Aden International Airport, stating that two ballistic missiles were fired at the facility. Officials noted this was the fourth such incident in the current month and warned that the attacks threaten civil aviation safety. Yemeni authorities also reported strikes on the coastguard headquarters and another building. The Houthi group claimed responsibility for hitting the al-Nasr camp and the naval military base in Aden.

Saudi Arabia's civil defence agency confirmed on Saturday that the Houthis launched two ballistic missiles toward Mecca and Medina. The agency warned of falling shrapnel after intercepting the projectiles. Images from the Saudi Press Agency showed a large, blackened missile-shaped object that landed within Saudi territory. Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, described the attacks as heinous in a statement shared on Saturday, saying they embodied a blatant disregard for civilian lives.

The Houthi group disputed the official narrative regarding their targets. They called the claim that they aimed at Mecca and Medina a huge lie, stating instead that their intended targets were three Saudi airports, oil infrastructure, and an airbase. Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported that Saudi coalition airstrikes killed several civilians in Sanaa and Hodeidah on Saturday. Riyadh has not yet issued a formal comment regarding these alleged raids.

In a related incident on Friday, Yemen's army announced that a Houthi missile malfunctioned and crashed into a family home in Sanaa, killing three people. The military noted this was one of several missile malfunctions observed from the Iran-backed group in recent weeks. Next steps include continued military operations in Taiz and ongoing assessments of the damage to Aden's infrastructure.