Yemen's government says its forces recaptured villages and districts in Taiz

Yemeni government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, say they have recaptured several areas in Taiz province, including the villages of al-Nidani and al-Sarari, large parts of Sanamat district and the Rabat al-Qarn area. The forces said 37 Houthi fighters had been killed or wounded in the fighting. The Houthis, who control large parts of Yemen, have yet to comment on the claims. Taiz province lies near the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a key shipping route that carried an average of 4.2 million barrels of crude oil a day in the first half of 2025. A fighter loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognised government fires a weapon mounted on a pickup truck near the front line at Mount al-Midan in Taiz province on 26 October 2026 (Ahmad al-Basha/AFP)