Yemeni government forces claim 1,860 Houthis ‘neutralised’
Quick Look
Yemeni government forces reported neutralizing 1,860 Houthi fighters through 2,103 precision strikes as part of the 'Dawn of Yemen' operation, while Saudi-led coalition destroyed 82 Houthi targets and Houthi attacks on Saudi airports resulted in three deaths and 36 injuries.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The Houthis, an Iran-backed group, have controlled Sanaa and much of northern Yemen since 2014. The Yemeni government launched the 'Dawn of Yemen' operation to retake all Houthi-held territory, including the capital. Fighting has intensified around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a vital shipping route for energy exports, especially after US-Iran tensions restricted trade through the Strait of Hormuz.
Yemeni government forces said they have “neutralised” 1,860 Houthi fighters since launching a large-scale counter-offensive to retake territory under control of the rebel group.
The spokesperson for the internationally recognised government’s army said in a social media post early on Thursday local time that they carried out 2,103 “precise targeting operations” against Houthi military positions across several fronts as part of the ongoing “Dawn of Yemen” operation.
Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, announced on Sunday the “Dawn of Yemen” operation to retake all Houthi-held territory, including the capital, Sanaa, which the Iran-backed group has controlled since 2014.
Battles in Yemen have focused in recent days on areas around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a shipping route that has become more crucial for energy exports since the conflict between the US and Iran restricted trade through the Strait of Hormuz.
Forces aligned with the Yemeni government launched an operation on Tuesday to capture strategic territory near the strait and around the city of Mocha, which the Houthis had captured in September.
Coalition targeting
The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said on Wednesday it destroyed 82 Houthi military targets in the Yemeni governorates of Saada, Hodeidah, al-Jawf and Marib.
The spokesperson for the coalition said in a statement the targets included ballistic missile sites including “11 mountain-based ballistic missile storages in Saada, command and control centres, communication systems, missile and weapons storages”.
The new operation followed Houthi attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha International Airport, according to the spokesperson.
Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority said the attacks on the two airports killed three people.
One person was killed and eight wounded in an attack on King Khalid International Airport, and two were killed and 28 wounded in an attack on facilities at Abha airport, the General Authority of Civil Aviation said in a statement.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Continued fighting around Bab al-Mandeb Strait as both sides seek strategic control
Likely · Within weeks
Further Houthi attacks on Saudi infrastructure in retaliation for coalition strikes
Possible · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What is the current territorial control status after the reported operations?
- Are there any civilian casualty figures from the Yemeni government's operations?
- What is the Iranian government's response to the escalating conflict?
- How effective have been the precision targeting operations in degrading Houthi military capabilities?
