Military clashes in Taiz Governorate have resulted in the loss of a top security official, according to the Presidential Leadership Council. Major General Mohammed Al-Khawlani, Chief of Staff of the Emergency Forces at the Ministry of Interior, died during fighting on the Al-Kadaha front. In response to the escalation, the Yemeni air force conducted 20 strikes against Houthi fighters, vehicles, and reinforcements across the province over a three hour period on Friday, a military spokesperson announced.

Houthi forces have seized more than 200 square kilometers of mountainous terrain in under 24 hours, effectively encircling Taiz by cutting the primary supply route to Aden at the Safiya junction. The government has warned civilians to avoid roads used for militia movements as reports emerge that the al-Turbah and Hayjat al-Abd roads have been damaged with explosives. The loss of these lifelines further isolates the population of one of Yemen's largest cities as Riyadh remains stretched on multiple fronts.