Houthis Seize Turbah, Threaten Taiz in Major Yemen Setback

Houthis seize Turbah as the Iran-backed rebel group makes further territorial gains in southwestern Yemen, creating a major setback for Saudi-backed government forces. The capture of the strategic town has brought Houthi fighters closer to Taiz and threatens an important route connecting the city with Aden.

Turbah Capture Threatens Taiz Supply Routes

Turbah sits on a key road linking Taiz with Aden, the interim seat of Yemen’s internationally recognised government. Its capture could make it significantly harder for government forces to reinforce and resupply positions around Taiz.

The Houthis had already captured several villages and areas surrounding Taiz, raising concerns that the country’s third-largest city could face increasing pressure or even encirclement.

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The latest advance follows significant Houthi gains along Yemen’s western Red Sea coast. The rebels recently captured Mokha and several Red Sea islands, strengthening their position near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a major global maritime chokepoint.

Saudi Arabia Promises Military Support

The developments prompted Yemen’s Saudi-backed government to announce a major military mobilisation. Presidential Leadership Council chief Rashad al-Alimi said operations would focus on recovering territory controlled by the Houthis and called for international support.

Saudi military spokesperson Maj Gen Turki al-Malki also pledged operational support for government forces and said Riyadh could take necessary measures against the rebels.

The current escalation began in July after the Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of targeting Sanaa airport over an Iranian flight. The rebels subsequently launched missile and drone attacks and expanded their campaign against Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea.

The renewed fighting marks a serious escalation in Yemen’s long-running civil war, which began in 2014 when the Houthis captured Sanaa and forced the government into exile.

The conflict has already produced one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The latest violence has reportedly killed more than 800 people, injured over 3,600 and displaced more than 145,000 people inside Yemen, according to the United Nations.