Yemen says govt. forces repel Houthi push on key Taiz-Aden route

Yemen’s Saudi-backed government forces repelled ‌overnight attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis on a key supply route ​to the southern port city of Aden where the internationally recognised ⁠administration is based, government sources said on Thursday (September 24, 2026).

The steep, winding mountain pass, known as Hejat al-Abd, is a lifeline for forces fighting on behalf of Yemen’s government, which has been ‌hemmed in by a lightning Houthi advance this month linked to the Iran war.

The road is also critical for goods entering ‌Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city, and its southern and western rural areas. It is ‌the ⁠only route for residents seeking to travel abroad, with no commercial ⁠flights operating from Houthi-controlled areas.