Yemen’s internationally recognised government says its military has killed hundreds of Houthi fighters in targeted operations over the past day, while its ground units keep pushing forward. The claims could not be independently verified.
The military’s spokesman, Colonel Majed Abdullah al-Nazili, said the campaign, known as ‘Dawn of Yemen’, has been carried out across the country.
Government forces report heavy Houthi losses
Colonel al-Nazili said at least 1,150 Houthis had died in almost 2,000 targeted operations nationwide. He added that the army had also destroyed Houthi ammunition depots and at least 180 combat, transport and supply vehicles.
According to his account, ground forces are continuing their assault and have not halted their advance.
Riyadh airport attack and Washington’s stance
Separately, an attack on King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on Saturday killed and wounded several people and forced flights to be cancelled. Yousef Mawry, reporting from Yemen that day, said the Houthis had not yet claimed responsibility for the strike.
Asked whether the United States would join strikes against the Houthis after the attack, President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that he would decide soon. The Iran-backed group has also warned airlines to stay out of Saudi airspace, saying any aircraft flying there is a target, except over the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
Houthi threats extend to Pakistan and shipping
Mawry said the Houthis were preparing to fight on several fronts, including against any international actors that take part in the conflict, and he named Pakistan as one example. The group has said that if Pakistan carries out military activity against it on behalf of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan will be treated the same way Saudi Arabia is currently being treated.
Mawry also said the Houthis planned to launch ballistic missiles toward Pakistan and to attack Pakistan-flagged vessels in the Red and Arabian seas.
Baraa Shiban, an associate fellow in international security and Yemen expert at the London-based Royal United Services Institute think tank, said the fighting is spreading across several fronts and will keep escalating. He added that the violence is unlikely to ease soon, as no regional or local mediators are currently able to calm the situation.
Fight for control of the Bab al-Mandeb strait
The Saudi-backed Yemeni forces are advancing against the Houthis in an effort to recapture areas around the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a critical trade route for shipping entering and leaving the Red Sea. Fierce battles are now under way around the southern cities of Mocha and Dhubab, both on the Red Sea coast and strategically important for control of the strait.
The Houthis have controlled Sanaa and parts of northwestern Yemen since 2014 and seized the strait area in September, effectively taking control of the waterway. Both sides, however, claim control of the shipping lanes.
