Yemeni government forces said Thursday they had repelled an attempted Houthi infiltration in Taiz province, near a key road linking the cities of Aden, Lahj and Taiz. The armed forces said the attack began at around 10:10 p.m. local time on Wednesday, when Houthi fighters attempted to infiltrate towards Wadi Al-Maqatrah in the Hayfan area. Units from the Taiz and Al-Turbah military axes, the Giants Brigades and the Popular Resistance took part in the fighting, according to a statement from the Yemeni Armed Forces. The forces said the attackers were forced to withdraw and suffered heavy losses in personnel and military equipment. The military said its forces subsequently secured the area and the road, which is an important route for civilian and commercial movement between Aden, Lahj and Taiz. The statement described the attack as part of a series of recent Houthi attempts to make gains along the front lines in Taiz, saying the group had shifted towards infiltration operations and attempts to threaten key roads after failing to achieve its objectives through direct clashes. The Yemeni Armed Forces said their units remained on high alert and were prepared to prevent further attacks or attempts to disrupt movement along vital roads.