AL-MUKALLA: Yemeni government forces in Taiz have vowed to repel intensified Houthi assaults and break the siege imposed on the city by the Iran-backed militia, while thanking Saudi Arabia for providing air support and military logistical assistance. Col. Abdul Basit Al-Baher, a Yemeni army officer in Taiz, told Arab News on Wednesday that government forces had engaged in heavy clashes with the Houthis on five fronts around the outskirts of Taiz city, as well as in other areas in the western and southern parts of the province. He said the Houthis had heavily shelled government positions and used drones and various other weapons in an attempt to break through their defenses, adding that dozens of Houthi fighters had been killed or wounded as government forces repelled the assaults. “The National Army and the Popular Resistance are putting up fierce resistance and displaying great valor, successfully repelling the militias despite their heavy firepower, which includes highly destructive missiles, drones, and tanks,” Al-Baher said. Early in September, the Houthis launched their biggest offensive against government forces in Taiz province, triggering one of the deadliest rounds of fighting in Yemen’s war so far, with thousands reportedly killed or wounded and more than 200,000 people displaced. The Houthis seized large swathes of territory in western Taiz, including the Red Sea coastal city of Mokha. On Oct. 5, Rashad Al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, announced a nationwide military operation, Dawn of Yemen, aimed at recapturing Houthi-held territory, including the capital, Sanaa. Al-Baher said Saudi air support had made a significant difference on the battlefield, with warplanes and drones striking Houthi positions, including command centers, military vehicles, and missile and drone launchers, easing military pressure on Yemeni government forces. “The role played by our brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is historic and undeniable,” Al-Baher said. “They provide us with support across various sectors — military, humanitarian, developmental, and economic. Their sincere, fraternal stances will never be forgotten; they remain a debt of gratitude upon us, passed down from generation to generation.” The Houthis have recently seized control of a vital road linking Taiz with the southern city of Aden, the seat of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, further tightening their decade-long siege of the city. Residents say essential goods, including food, fuel and cooking gas, have become increasingly scarce, while prices have risen sharply. Al-Baher said residents of Taiz, already suffering from severe food shortages, had taken up arms and joined government forces to repel Houthi assaults on the city’s outskirts. He vowed that the Houthis would not be allowed to capture Taiz at any cost, describing the militia as repressive and criminal. “All members of the army, the Popular Resistance, the community, and the women have pledged not to allow the Houthi militias to advance even a single inch, even if it means we all perish. These militias must be repelled at the very walls of this city,” Al-Baher said. Local medical workers say supplies are dwindling, with medicines for chronic diseases running short because of the Houthi siege and road closures. Abdul Malik Yaseen, a local medic, told Arab News that, in addition to the threat of hunger, Taiz was facing a growing health and environmental crisis as piles of uncollected garbage accumulated in the streets. He said municipal workers were unable to operate garbage collection vehicles because of fuel shortages. “The massive accumulation of garbage in the streets heralds a health and environmental disaster, such as outbreaks of diarrhea; we have already begun receiving cases of diarrhea. Medicine stocks are running low due to road closures,” Yaseen said. In a speech on Tuesday night marking the eve of the 63rd anniversary of the Oct. 14 Revolution, Al-Alimi delivered a special message to residents of besieged Taiz, pledging continued efforts to help break the Houthi siege. “I say to you: Taiz, which withstood years of siege through the courage of its people, is capable of overcoming this ordeal as well. We have faith in the steadfastness of its residents and the determination of the heroes within our armed forces, security services, and the Popular Resistance. We will continue to do everything in our power to protect the city, reopen its roads, and alleviate the suffering of its inhabitants,” the Yemeni leader said.