Maj. Gen. Turki al‑Malki announced that the Saudi‑led coalition had fielded 100 fighter jets to back Yemen's 'Yemen Dawn' campaign, launched on September 18, 2026, after Iranian‑backed Houthi rebels seized the strategic town of Turbah.
Turbah sits on the main artery linking Taiz to Aden, a lifeline for the internationally recognised government; its loss could choke supply lines and isolate Taiz from reinforcements.
The coalition also claimed to have destroyed hundreds of Houthi targets and established air protection over the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait, a choke point through which 12% of global trade flows.
Yemen's health ministry reports that medical facilities in western Taiz have closed or run at reduced capacity, while over 3,600 civilians have been wounded since the offensive began, a grim reminder of the war's toll.
A senior Saudi official said the coalition will maintain daily airstrikes until the Houthis are fully removed, and a naval task force is preparing for a potential amphibious assault on Turbah.