# Sanaa‑Aligned Forces Claim Control of Over 95% of Taiz as Houthis Use ‘Shuath’ Drones in Lahij Attacks

*Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 8:11 AM UTC — Hamer Intelligence Services Desk*

**Published**: 2026-10-06T08:11:57.175Z (2h ago)
**Category**: conflict | **Region**: Middle East
**Importance**: 7/10
**Sources**: OSINT
**Permalink**: https://hamerintel.com/data/articles/19821.md
**Source**: https://hamerintel.com/summaries

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**Deck**: Yemeni channels report that Sanaa‑aligned forces now hold more than 95% of Taiz governorate, while Houthi fighters using locally made ‘Shuath’ first‑person‑view drones have struck Presidential Leadership Council positions and vehicles near Al Bahiya in Lahij.

Yemeni reports say forces aligned with the Sanaa‑based authorities have consolidated their grip on Taiz governorate and are fielding new types of armed drones in nearby fighting.

According to those accounts, Sanaa forces now control more than 95% of Taiz governorate. That figure can’t be independently verified from the available material, but it reflects years of gradual gains at the expense of units loyal to the internationally recognized Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) and allied factions around Taiz city and its hinterland.

In a separate development, the Houthis, also known as Ansarullah, are reported to have carried out strikes on PLC positions and vehicles near Al Bahiya in Lahij governorate. The attackers are said to have used their own locally produced first‑person‑view drones, referred to as “Shuath,” in these operations.

First‑person‑view drones are small aircraft that send live video back to an operator, who can steer them with precision toward vehicles, trenches or other targets. They’ve become a staple of modern battlefields because they are relatively cheap to assemble and can be adapted as one‑way attack drones.

For PLC forces in Taiz and Lahij, the combination of heavy territorial pressure and a growing arsenal of such drones changes the local balance of risk. Front‑line troops now have to contend with surveillance from above and with explosive‑laden quadcopters that can maneuver around cover and into moving vehicles. For the Houthi side, extensive control of Taiz gives more secure ground for logistics, workshops and training.

Taiz has long been one of Yemen’s central battlegrounds. Control over most of the governorate, if the claims bear out, would underline how little PLC‑held territory remains there and would shape any future negotiation maps that try to divide responsibility between rival authorities.

The reported use of Shuath drones near Al Bahiya fits a broader pattern of expanding drone capabilities in the conflict. The Houthis have already shown they can develop or adapt drones and missiles to strike far‑off targets and threaten shipping routes. Bringing locally made first‑person‑view systems into routine use at shorter ranges suggests a widening ecosystem of drone design, assembly and operator training.

For civilians in Taiz and Lahij, these shifts mean that more areas can be watched and, if selected, hit with little warning. People living near front lines face new dangers from small, hard‑to‑detect aircraft operated from some distance away.

Developments to watch include independent mapping of control lines in Taiz, visual evidence of Shuath drones or wreckage from strikes near Al Bahiya, and any sign that similar systems are being used beyond Yemen’s internal battlefields, particularly against coastal infrastructure or shipping.