Yemen hits Houthi positions with 15 airstrikes in Taiz, Al-Hudaydah

Yemen's armed forces launched 15 airstrikes against Houthi rebel positions in Taiz and Al-Hudaydah provinces on Friday, marking the government's first involvement since hostilities intensified in July, military sources said.

Airstrikes target western coast

Warplanes hit Houthi positions, gatherings and vehicles on the western coast fronts, the Yemeni Army Media Center said. The army-affiliated Taiz Military Axis confirmed air support for ground troops bombing rebel sites in the Hays front, west of Taiz.

Fierce fighting near Bab al-Mandab

Several fronts in Taiz and Al-Hudaydah have seen fierce fighting between government forces and Houthis since Thursday, causing casualties on both sides near the Bab al-Mandab Strait — a strategic chokepoint connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

Escalation amid crisis

The Houthis, who have controlled Sana'a since 2014, have not responded to the strikes. Fighting has resumed across several provinces in recent weeks as Yemen faces one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.