Yemeni government troops stated on Thursday that they have eliminated 1,860 fighters linked to the Houthi rebel group since initiating a major counter-offensive aimed at reclaiming occupied territories. The announcement followed a campaign involving over 2,100 targeted strikes against Houthi military installations across multiple fronts.
Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s internationally recognized Presidential Leadership Council, launched the “Dawn of Yemen” operation earlier in the week with the objective of regaining control of all Houthi-held areas, including the capital city of Sanaa, which has been under Iran-backed rebel control since 2014. Army spokespersons confirmed the high number of neutralized combatants in a social media update early Thursday.
Recent fighting has centered on strategic locations near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a vital shipping lane that has gained renewed importance for global energy exports. This heightened significance arises as ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran have disrupted trade flows through the nearby Strait of Hormuz. Government-aligned forces began their push on Tuesday to secure key terrain around the port city of Mocha and the strait, areas previously seized by Houthis in September.
In a parallel development, the Saudi-led coalition participating in the conflict reported the destruction of 82 Houthi military targets on Wednesday. Operations were conducted across the governorates of Saada, Hodeidah, al-Jawf, and Marib. Coalition officials specified that the eliminated targets included ballistic missile storage sites—11 of which were located in mountainous terrain within Saada—as well as command and control centers, communication networks, and weapons depots.
The coalition’s offensive response came after Houthi strikes targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha International Airport earlier in the week. Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation confirmed that the attacks resulted in three fatalities. One person was killed and eight others injured at the Riyadh facility, while the assault on Abha airport claims two lives and has left 28 individuals wounded.
My heart goes out to the families in Riyadh and Abha. Innocent lives lost in this endless conflict.
Anyone else remembering how many times ‘significant gains’ were claimed last year? Sanaa isn’t falling anytime soon.
Civilians died at that Saudi airport. This cycle of violence just keeps escalating with no end in sight.
The impact on global shipping through Bab al-Mandeb is terrifying. Fuel prices will skyrocket again.
Casualty numbers like this always feel inflated in active war zones. Hard to verify independently.