The key facts

  • The Yemeni army reported 943 strikes: 18 airstrikes, 21 drone attacks, 27 RPG strikes and 877 artillery strikes
  • According to the military, Houthi losses amounted to 221 killed and wounded, with 73 pieces of equipment destroyed
  • Yemeni media reported ballistic missiles fired at Aden; the Houthis claim a strike on the Jabal Hadid camp, where Saudi officers were allegedly present

Large-scale operation on several fronts

The Yemeni army announced on Friday that its forces had carried out 943 strikes on Houthi positions across several fronts in recent hours. According to the armed forces, the operation included 18 airstrikes, 21 drone attacks, 27 rocket-propelled grenade strikes and 877 artillery strikes. The targets were positions, fortifications, firing points, gatherings of personnel, vehicles and other military facilities of the group.

Taiz, Marib and the southern fronts

In Taiz province, government forces, supported by the Popular Resistance, continued fighting on several directions, repelling Houthi attacks and striking their gatherings and reinforcements. In Marib and Al-Jawf, army units conducted offensive operations against the group's positions. On the southern and south-western directions, the Nation's Shield forces, the Giants Brigades and the National Resistance continued to repel attacks and infiltration attempts; the army said government forces had taken control of a number of positions in these areas.

Claimed losses and the shelling of Aden

According to the military, 221 Houthi commanders and fighters were killed or wounded during the operations, and 73 military vehicles, other equipment and heavy machinery used in engineering works were destroyed or damaged. Separately, Yemeni media reported on Friday that the Houthis had shelled Aden with ballistic missiles; explosions were heard across the city. The independent website Al-Masdar Online reported missile impacts but provided no figures on casualties or destruction.

Houthi statement about Saudi officers

The Houthi-controlled Saba agency, citing an unnamed military source, claimed that the group had attacked a 'gathering of Saudi officers' at the Jabal Hadid military camp in Aden. Details of the consequences of the alleged strike were not provided. Saudi authorities did not promptly comment on the statement, which could not be independently verified. In recent weeks, media have also reported Houthi attacks on facilities in Aden, including the airport, the Maashiq presidential palace and government military camps.

Context of the escalation

The Yemeni armed forces pledged to continue operations to achieve the goals of the 'Yemen Dawn' campaign, stating that precautions were being taken to protect civilians and infrastructure. Fighting between government forces and the Houthis has intensified since July, especially in Taiz province, which overlooks the Bab al-Mandeb strait. The escalation has ended a period of relative calm that began in April 2022 and, according to the report, has worsened the humanitarian crisis in the country. Saudi Arabia has led a coalition in support of the internationally recognised Yemeni government against the Houthis since March 2015; the Houthis have controlled Sanaa and a number of other provinces since September 2014.