Yemen gov’t forces launch air strikes on Houthi targets

Yemeni government forces say they have carried out air strikes on Houthi positions across the country as the Iran-aligned group claims it shot down several Saudi drones.

“The armed forces’ warplanes carried out raids targeting Houthi militia positions in al-Barah, south of Hodeidah and in the western outskirts of Marib. They also targeted sites and gatherings of the militia in al-Lubnat, al-Alam and al-Jawf governorate centre, and inflicted heavy loss of life and equipment on the militia,” the military said in a statement late on Sunday.

Yahya Saree, the Houthis’ military spokesperson, said on Monday that Houthi fighters shot down three Saudi drones in the past 24 hours.

There was no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia on the claims.

Saree said the group’s forces shot down a Saudi CH-4 armed reconnaissance drone over al-Jawf province as it was carrying out “hostile activities”. He later added that a Saudi-owned Wing Loong II armed reconnaissance drone was shot down in al-Bayda governorate.

The Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in July and have carried out attacks on Saudi shipping in the Bab al-Mandeb strait.

The Houthis and government forces have been fighting over control of the critical waterway that has become a vital route for Saudi oil exports since Iran blockaded the Strait of Hormuz in response to the US-Israel war on Iran launched in February.

On Friday, Yemen’s internationally recognised government launched a series of air strikes against several Houthi positions in the country, as the Houthis attempted to advance through western Taiz and southern Hodeidah towards al-Makha (Mocha) and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.