NEW: Yemeni government-aligned forces repelled a Houthi advance on September 23 that sought to sever the primary ground line of communication (GLOC) that connects Taiz City and Aden City. Houthi control over the Taiz-Aden GLOC would effectively represent an encirclement of Yemeni government-aligned forces in Taiz City, as the Hijat al Abd road is the only effective main supply route (MSR) that connects Taiz City to the rest of Yemeni government-controlled territory. Other Key Takeaways: The Houthis likely seek to capture the Taiz-Aden GLOC to impose multiple dilemmas on Yemeni government-aligned forces. An effective Houthi encirclement of Yemeni government-aligned forces in Taiz City could set conditions for Houthi forces to seize Taiz City and other parts of the governorate, which would provide the Houthis with strategic high ground over their recently captured Red Sea coastal positions, and improve the Houthis’ ability to threaten the Yemeni government’s capital in Aden City. The Houthis are likely attempting to deter Saudi Arabia from conducting cross-border ground operations against the Houthis in Yemen by claiming that they conducted “preemptive” strikes targeting reported Saudi military buildups near the Saudi Arabia-Yemen border. The People's Republic of China supplied dual-use technology to Iran during the war to support Iran's drone and missile programs and may be transporting goods to Iran by air to circumvent the US naval blockade on Iranian ports.

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