Six members of the Houthi group were injured on Saturday by the Yemeni army’s fire on the frontlines of Taiz province in southwestern Yemen.
The official Yemeni news agency quoted a military source as saying that two members of the Houthi group were killed and four others were wounded in clashes with the army forces west of Taiz city.
The source added that the Houthi elements attempted to infiltrate army positions at Yaseen hill northwest of the city, leading to clashes with army personnel where two of the elements were killed and four others were wounded, with the rest fleeing.
The source also noted that the infiltration occurred simultaneously with drone strikes and artillery shelling by the Houthi group on army positions in the Al-Dhahab fronts west of the city.
Last Wednesday, human rights sources reported that eight civilians, including children and women, were killed or injured due to shelling by the Houthi group on Sabr Al-Mawadim district in Taiz province.
Human rights activist Judge Ishraq Al-Muqtari stated that a shell fired by the Houthis killed three civilians and injured five others in Habur village, part of the Al-Shaqab area in Sabr Al-Mawadim district.
She added that the incident resulted in the deaths of a man and two girls, while all five injured were children and women.
Al-Muqtari confirmed that the residents of the front-line districts in Taiz are still being subjected to shelling and sniping by the Houthis, despite what is called a “UN truce.”
Recent developments in Yemen indicate a complex situation with the Houthis maintaining significant influence, particularly in northern Yemen. Despite international efforts and a UN-mediated peace process, the situation remains volatile. The Houthis have continued their military actions, including attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, which have drawn international condemnation and military responses from the US and UK. These strikes are justified by the attackers as self-defense measures under international law, specifically Article 51 of the UN Charter.
Additionally, the Houthis have shown some willingness to engage in negotiations, as evidenced by their participation in talks facilitated by Oman aimed at reaching a peace agreement with Saudi Arabia. However, the progress in these talks has been stalled by ongoing regional hostilities and the crisis in the Red Sea.
On a humanitarian level, the situation in Yemen remains dire, with a significant portion of the population requiring aid. The UN has been actively trying to secure more funds to address the crisis, with a need for $2.7 billion to assist 18.2 million people in 2024. However, funding shortfalls threaten the effectiveness of aid programs, such as those run by the World Food Programme, which is facing a crisis due to insufficient funding.
