More than 60 people, including civilians, were killed on Saturday as fighting between Yemen's internationally recognised government forces and Houthi rebels intensified across multiple fronts in the western provinces of Taiz and Hodeidah. The single deadliest incident saw a missile strike kill six civilians travelling by bus in government-controlled Taiz city, injuring seven others — a strike government officials attributed to the Houthis. In addition, 26 government soldiers and 31 Houthi fighters were killed during several hours of ground combat in the country's southwest. The weekend toll follows an even bloodier Friday, when around 129 people were killed in fighting — making the current bout of violence some of the deadliest Yemen has seen in years.

The renewed offensive is centred on control of territory near the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a critical maritime chokepoint in southwestern Yemen where the Red Sea narrows before opening toward the Suez Canal — a passage through which roughly 10% of global maritime trade flows. The Houthis, who in July declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, are pushing to seize strategic hills and coastal areas that would give them commanding positions over the strait and allow them to threaten port cities along the Red Sea, including the government-held port of al-Makha. Yemen's government warned that any Houthi advance toward Bab al-Mandeb would face