&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Yemen’s Saudi-backed government forces claim full control of strategic 'Mount Qarfan' in Taiz")
Yemen’s Saudi-backed government forces claimed to have taken full control of strategic Mount Qarfan in the western governorate of Taiz. The site was seized during a war with Iran-aligned Houthi fighters with the assistance of local fighters on Tuesday, the Yemen Armed Forces Media Centre said in a statement.
Major General Abdulaziz al-Majidi, the chief of staff for the Taiz military axis, stated that troops engaged in “fierce battles” with Houthi rebels, and claimed the lives of five Houthi fighters, wounding 20 and achieving the “restoration of control” of the mountain.
By capturing Mount Qarfan, Yemen's government forces would gain a strong tactical advantage, commanding both firepower and surveillance over the valleys stretching between the ash-Shamaytaun and al-Waziiya districts in the southern Taiz governorate. The Houthis have not yet responded to the government's claim. These clashes are unfolding against the backdrop of intensifying fighting across Yemen, fuelled further by rising regional tensions stemming from the US-Israel conflict with Iran.
Houthis' control over Yemen's Red Sea coastline
Earlier this month, the Houthis seized control of Yemen's Red Sea coastline, including the port city of Mocha, and have since pushed to advance into the Kahboub Mountains spanning Taiz and Lahj governorates. Should they gain control of these strategically important heights, which overlook the Bab al-Mandeb strait and Mayyun Island in the Red Sea, the Houthis would be positioned to cut off the coast entirely from the remaining areas still under government control in the south.
Trending Stories
)
US and China vie for AI dominance as calls grow for regulation | Gravitas
)
'Mumma’s boy from Gwalior who dared to dream': Kartik Aaryan pens long note after first National Award win
)
Trump-Xi summit: From trade to Taiwan, what will the US and Chinese presidents discuss in Washington?
)
Mikel Arteta verbally agrees to three-year extension with Arsenal after title-winning Premier League season
)
Four female students raped during 'Red Zone' at California university. What we know
)
Anne Hathaway to run in supporting race for Nolan's epic
)
Nor'easter could batter 13 US states this week. What you should know
)
Bomb scare in New York amid UNGA: Suspicious suitcase found near UN headquarters
)
WION Iconic Tourism Summit and Iconic Awards 2026: India's travel economy leaders gather in Delhi
)
Infections transmitted from pregnant woman linked to autism risk
)
IIT Bombay professor Suryanarayana Doolla sent on leave amid Sahil Wakode death probe
)
Justice eludes Air India 1985 bombing victims as Canada probe goes 'inactive' | Gravitas
)
Gravitas | Boosting NHS productivity could save 20,600 lives in UK annually: Report
)
Trump signs Greenland security deal with Denmark, paving way for two new US military bases
)
Oil slips to $98 as Saudi Arabia restarts East-West oil pipeline
)
US-China tech war: Businesses in the front line
)
Trump revives India-Middle East-Europe economic corridor as India emerges central to West Asia’s future: What is it?
)
Erdogan again raises Kashmir issue at UNGA, calls for dialogue under UN Charter
)
Elephants hide behind trees, stage surprise attack on poachers targeting rhinos in South Africa
)
Trump calls on nations to quit ‘rogue’ and ‘out-of-control’ International Criminal Court, rips UN
)
IND vs JPN T20I: How an overturned wide became point of difference between India's win and a tie
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Film Awards 2026: Kartik Aaryan, Mammootty, Yami Gautam, Randeep Hooda and other key winners
)
El Niño 2026 heats up to become strongest in 1,000 years
)
Asia prepares for record El Nino, food shock
)
81st UN General Assembly: Burnham announces UK-US AI defence tie-up
)
Forget apps: Qualcomm CEO says AI agents will change how we use smartphones
)
ICC plans T20I expansion and fewer ODIs in 2027–2031 FTP cycle: Report
)
IND vs JPN, one-off T20I: Japan captain Kendel on pushing India to the brink - ‘It was special’
)
WION Iconic Tourism Summit and Awards 2026: Key voices to discuss India’s tourism future
)
Over 4,200 books withdrawn from circulation in J&K colleges, 94% from Kashmir
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New OTT releases this week (September 21-27, 2026): Shaque: Trust No One, Hunkkaar, Don’t Be Shy- 5 new titles coming to Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Explainer: Why rare-earth export licences and Board of Trade are US priorities ahead of Trump-Xi summit
)
Cyclone Arnab: Landfall expected before midnight tomorrow as IMD issues orange alerts across six states
)
From Gaddafi tearing up UN Charter to Trump’s ‘escalatorgate’: Most unforgettable UNGA moments
)
Yemen clashes kill 154 people in two days as cornered Saudi battles Houthi offensive | Gravitas
)
'What kind of confession is this?': Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif’s 'terrorists would be roaming New York' remark goes viral, raises alarm online. Watch
“The mountains are the natural wall that protects the Houthis’ rear on the coast. Controlling them would cut the coast off from the government-held south and place direct pressure on Lahj and, in the longer term, Aden,” Al Jazeera quoted Faozi Al-Goidi, a visiting fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs as saying.
