Heavy clashes between government and Houthi forces occurred throughout Yemen on Wednesday, as authorities warn of a worsening situation in the besieged city of Taiz. 

What happened: The Yemeni military said it carried out drone strikes on Wednesday on Houthi positions in Marib, an oil-rich province in central Yemen that is divided between the government and the Iran-aligned group. The military additionally reported airstrikes and ground operations against the Houthis in southwestern Taiz province. 

The area surrounding Taiz city has witnessed especially intense fighting in recent days, with the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War noting heavy clashes over the past 24 hours as of Tuesday. The fighting has been largely concentrated in al-Dhabab, southwest of the city, and al-Shaqab to the southeast. 

The Houthis completely encircled Taiz earlier this month and laid siege to the city, which is home to around 1 million people.