Yemeni Forces Capture Samea Fortress in Taiz After Fierce Clashes With Houthis

SANAA, Oct 3: Yemeni government forces have captured the strategic Samea Fortress in southeastern Taiz province following fierce clashes with Houthi fighters, a military source said Saturday, as fighting intensified across several fronts in Yemen.

The source, cited by Yemen’s state-run Saba news agency, said government forces, backed by local resistance fighters, seized the fortress after heavy fighting that left dozens of Houthi fighters killed or wounded, while others fled the area. The capture of Samea Fortress is expected by government forces to help secure routes leading into Taiz and prevent Houthi attempts to outflank their positions and strengthen their defensive lines.

The development came as the Yemeni army reported intense fighting on multiple fronts in Taiz. Army spokesman Brig. Gen. Majed Abdullah al-Nuzaili said government forces carried out 71 precision operations targeting Houthi gatherings, military buildups and reinforcements in areas including Al-Aqroud, Samea, Al-Ahkum, Al-Akboush, Jabal Rasin and Jabal Jardad. He said the operations destroyed a number of transport and support vehicles and caused casualties among Houthi fighters.

The Yemeni army also said its air defenses shot down four Houthi drones on the Al-Shahla front in Al-Jawf province. There was no immediate Houthi comment on the reported capture of Samea Fortress or the downing of the drones.

The fighting is part of a broader escalation that has intensified since July following years of relative calm after the UN-brokered truce of April 2022. On Friday, the Yemeni army said it had carried out 20 airstrikes against Houthi movements, reinforcements, fighters and military equipment in Taiz, highlighting the growing intensity of the fighting in the province.