Yemeni government forces drive vehicles over Houthi fighters near Bab el-Mandeb Strait

The videos, filmed from inside the armored vehicles, showed them striking fighters. Some fighters were armed, while others were unarmed and made no move to evade the oncoming vehicles. In one instance, a vehicle hit an unarmed man running, and another crouching, before looping back to drive over two unarmed men with their hands up. Gunfire could be heard, and the vehicle's windscreen was cracked by a shot.

A Houthi statement decried the videos as proof of war crimes, accusing the Saudi regime and its mobilized forces of revealing their "true nature." Asil al-Saqladi, spokesperson for the Giants Brigade, the main government force involved, said the brigade was misled into believing Houthi fighters were surrendering, but some then fired on government forces. The Saudi-led coalition backing the government forces did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Homeland Shield Forces issued a directive urging troops to treat prisoners well and adhere to ethical standards, though they did not comment directly on the videos. Rights groups have previously accused the Houthis of war crimes, which the group denies.

Reuters has not independently verified the extent of government gains, and the Houthis denied losing ground, calling government claims baseless. Intense fighting also continued around Taiz, where Houthi advances had cut off a main road to Aden. The conflict pits the Houthis against forces aligned with the internationally recognized government, backed by Saudi Arabia. The renewed clashes add a new front to regional tensions, with the US having rebuffed Saudi requests for military help to reverse Houthi gains on the Red Sea coast.