TAIZ, Yemen — Colonel Abdul Basit Al-Bahr, spokesperson for the Taiz military axis affiliated with the Yemeni army, reported that Houthi forces, classified as a terrorist group by international authorities, launched over 182 attacks on army positions in various battlefronts in Taiz during the last ten days of December 2024.

In an exclusive statement to "Barran Press," Al-Bahr detailed that the assaults included 38 instances of heavy gunfire using machine guns and 23mm artillery, 73 attacks on military sites and residential areas using heavy artillery, mortars, tanks, and B10 cannons, along with 26 attacks involving medium weapons and sniper fire.

The reported assaults also encompassed 15 drone strikes, 8 offensive incursions and sneak attacks, 8 instances of explosive device placements, and 14 new military constructions, including trenches and fortifications.

Al-Bahr affirmed that the army forces responded to each of these attacks, thwarting 8 infiltration and assault attempts, executing 4 counterattacks using artillery and tanks, conducting 3 raids on enemy positions, and launching 2 offensive operations against Houthi sites.

He noted that the Iranian-backed Houthi militants suffered both material and human losses during these confrontations, with 18 members reported killed or injured, alongside significant equipment damage.

Colonel Al-Bahr attributed the increase in Houthi aggression in Taiz to their desire to "disrupt the overall situation and escape forward due to international changes and the decline of Iran's influence in the region." He added that these actions are attempts to project an image of strength and cohesion while masking their actual weaknesses and confusion.

According to Al-Bahr, the Houthi escalation aims to draw attention, create the illusion of military capability, exert pressure to return to negotiations and achieve any notable breakthrough to boost their dwindling morale.