Fierce Clashes Between Houthis and Yemeni Forces Leave 81 Dead

Bloody clashes have erupted between Houthable rebels and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces, leaving at least 81 people from both sides dead in the fierce fighting.

As reported by AFP on Friday (4/9/2026), the clashes occurred as the Iran-backed rebel group attempted to storm Yemeni territories bordering a crucial point in the strategic Red Sea.

The battle, which broke out on Thursday (3/9) local time, followed a Houthi ground assault, alongside rocket and drone attacks, near Yemen’s coastal region in an effort to seize control of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait—a narrow waterway at the southern entrance of the Red Sea.

The Houthis have repeatedly attacked Saudi vessels in the Red Sea in recent weeks. The Red Sea has become an alternative route for oil exports after Iran almost entirely halted shipping traffic from the Gulf region by blockading the Strait of Hormuz.

Currently, the Houthi group is attempting to strengthen its grip on one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, which they have disrupted through attacks on passing ships since the Gaza war broke out in October 2023.

According to several military sources speaking to AFP, the Houthi attacks aim to sever access to the Yemeni government-controlled port city of Mocha—which has been bombarded for weeks—and advance towards areas bordering the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

A military source and a Taiz official, speaking on condition of anonymity, reported that the rebel group has seized positions in the highlands overlooking government troop positions near the Red Sea, the coastal town of Khokha, and the inland city of Taiz.

It is believed that the Houthis could target ships in the Red Sea from these highland positions.

A military official in Yemen’s coastal area reported that 24 of his personnel were killed, while another official in the Taiz area mentioned 15 fatalities there.

Meanwhile, medical sources in Houthi-controlled areas stated that at least 42 Houthi fighters also perished.