In ongoing violence, forces allied with the internationally recognized Yemeni government have reportedly inflicted heavy casualties on Houthi rebels, according to statements made by Majed Abdullah al-Nuzaili, a spokesman for the government's military. The clashes occurred in multiple governorates across Yemen, including Lahij, Taiz, Marib, al-Jawf, Hajjah, and al-Bayda, with over 190 Houthi fighters alleged to have been killed or wounded in hundreds of air and artillery attacks. These attacks included at least 29 air strikes, 39 drone attacks, 62 rockets, and 744 artillery attacks, as per al-Nuzaili's statement. The Houthis, who are backed by Iran and control the rebel-held capital Sanaa, have countered these claims but did not provide specific numbers of their casualties.
The fighting in Yemen comes amidst regional tensions escalated by the US-Israel conflict with Iran. The Yemeni government, which is supported by Saudi Arabia, has launched a counteroffensive called Operation Dawn of Yemen to retake territory lost to the Houthis since September. The Saudi-led coalition is supporting this ground campaign with air strikes, while the Houthis have responded with missile attacks on the kingdom, targeting airports and oil facilities.
The World Health Organization reports that at least 1,771 people have been killed and 7,959 wounded in the hostilities since August, with over 300,000 displaced. The Houthis claimed that their forces launched 109 air strikes and missile attacks on Sanaa and Houthi positions in several governorates on Tuesday, resulting in a large number of civilian casualties, including women and children. The Saudi-led coalition intercepted two of these missiles aimed at Riyadh and the southern region of Saudi Arabia earlier in the day.
The Houthis also reported attacks on their own, claiming to have inflicted heavy losses on government-aligned forces in various locations such as al-Madaribah, Ras al-Ara in Lahij governorate, and al-Jawf earlier in the day. They further alleged that they targeted the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and an Aramco oil facility in Abqaiq in the kingdom's Eastern province.