Yemen fighting intensifies, over 120 killed

Fighting intensified across western Yemen on Saturday, September 5, 2026, as government forces launched counterattacks against Houthi fighters who are pressing towards areas overlooking the strategic Bab Al Mandab strait. The clashes, described as the country's deadliest in years, have resulted in a significant death toll among combatants and civilians. The Houthi offensive, which began on Thursday, September 3, 2026, involved ground assaults accompanied by rocket and drone attacks near coastal areas. Military and medical sources reported varying casualty figures, with one tally compiled from several sources indicating 129 deaths by Friday, September 4, 2026. This figure included at least 66 government soldiers and at least 62 Houthi fighters, along with one civilian. Other reports from Friday stated over 120 people had been killed since Thursday, while another tally from Thursday indicated 81 combatants killed. The Houthi advance appears aimed at cutting off the government-held port city of Mokha and severing vital supply routes between the inland city of Taiz and the coast.