HODEIDAH — Clashes between Yemeni government troops and Houthi rebels in the Jabal Dabbas area of Hodeidah governorate resulted in the deaths of at least 15 soldiers and over 50 Houthi fighters, according to Minister of State Walid al-Qudaimi. The fighting, which occurred from the night of July 3 to the dawn of July 4, 2026, also left 23 government soldiers wounded, according to an officer with pro-government forces in Jabal Dabbas.

Al-Qudaimi reported that dozens of other Houthi fighters sustained injuries during the engagement. The killed soldiers were identified as being from the Tihama region. Al-Qudaimi posted on X that the troops died while "defending their land and dignity" during the battle.

An officer with pro-government forces in Jabal Dabbas stated, "This was the deadliest Houthi attack in years." The officer said Houthi fighters initiated the assault late on Friday, briefly seizing pro-government positions. Government-aligned forces subsequently retook these sites by dawn on Saturday.

The officer stated that Houthi fighters first used snipers, who caused most of the casualties, before firing drones and mortars at the positions. The Houthis have maintained control of the capital, Sanaa, and large portions of northern Yemen, including the port city of Hodeidah on the country's western Red Sea coast.

Background

Front lines in Yemen have remained largely frozen since a United Nations-brokered truce in 2022, though sporadic violence has continued. The Houthis have been engaged in conflict with Yemen's internationally recognized government, which is based in Aden and controls large parts of the south, since 2015. Saudi Arabia backs the Yemeni government.