Yemen govt launches fresh offensive against Houthis
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Sanaa: Fighting intensified near Yemen’s Bab al-Mandeb Strait on Sunday as government forces launched an offensive against Houthi fighters holding strategic positions overlooking the key maritime passage, according to a military official cited by Xinhua.
Units from the Giants Brigades and Nation Shield Forces advanced towards Houthi-controlled areas from multiple directions, but encountered strong resistance from fighters entrenched in defensive positions and trenches. Extensive minefields further hindered the advance, the official said.
The Houthis also deployed fibre-optic-guided kamikaze drones against government troops during the clashes. Casualties were reported on both sides, although no figures were available. The extent of territorial gains from the operation remained unclear as fighting continued.
Bab al-Mandeb connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a crucial route for international shipping and trade.
The escalation coincided with fresh military activity involving Saudi Arabia. The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said on Saturday that it had intercepted and destroyed four drones over Riyadh and the kingdom’s eastern and southern regions.
Coalition spokesperson Turki Al-Maliki also announced the destruction of two ballistic missile launchers in Yemen’s northern Saada province.
The developments come amid intensifying hostilities between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, with both sides exchanging attacks and military warnings in recent days.
With IANS inputs