Key facts
- Drone strikes in southwest Yemen killed at least three Houthi fighters.
- Several other Houthis, including field commanders, were wounded.
- The strikes occurred west of Taiz governorate.
- In separate incidents, dozens of Yemeni government troops were killed in Houthi attacks in Marib and Hadhramaut provinces.
- The Houthis claimed responsibility for attacks using drones and missiles on Saudi-linked forces.
Drone strikes west of Taiz governorate in southwest Yemen have resulted in the deaths of at least three Houthi fighters and wounded several others, including field commanders, according to Yemeni government forces. These strikes are part of escalating tensions in the region.
In separate incidents, dozens of Yemeni government troops were killed in major Houthi attacks in Yemen's Marib and Hadhramaut provinces. The Iran-backed Houthis claimed they fired drones and missiles on troops linked to Saudi Arabia, stating the operation was launched after detecting a large Saudi military build-up. The Houthis claimed hundreds of fighters were killed or wounded and that camps and military vehicles were destroyed.
The US embassy in Yemen condemned the Houthi attacks as cowardly and representative of terrorism against the Yemeni people. Experts suggest the Houthis' actions serve Iranian interests by increasing regional pressure on the US administration. The recent clashes have exacerbated the wider regional conflict, threatening to reignite full-scale war in Yemen.
These escalations follow heavy fighting last month and come as Saudi Arabia has appointed a Saudi admiral to command a new maritime alliance aimed at protecting the Red Sea and Bab Al Mandeb strait from Houthi attacks. The Houthis claim their actions are a response to Saudi Arabia's blockade of Houthi-controlled areas.