At least 63 people were killed in 24 hours in clashes involving Yemen’s military, the Iran-backed Houthi movement and Saudi forces, according to sources from both sides cited by AFP on Thursday.
Yemeni military officials said 23 soldiers were killed in Houthi drone and missile attacks in two southern provinces. Sources within the Houthi movement, meanwhile, said 40 of its fighters were killed in Saudi airstrikes and clashes with Yemeni government forces.
Tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis have intensified since the final week of August. The Houthis have carried out several missile attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, causing damage to parts of the kingdom’s energy sector.
The conflict has also raised concerns over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. The report said Houthi fighters seized control of the strategic waterway on September 11 amid the wider US-Iran conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi Arabia has been conducting air operations in Yemen since September 8. According to Houthi sources, the Saudi air force had carried out more than 130 airstrikes by Sunday.
On Wednesday, September 16, the Houthis also claimed to have shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet. A video circulated on social media purportedly showed Houthi fighters gathered around the downed aircraft.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had reportedly asked US President Donald Trump for military assistance to counter the Houthis. Trump, however, said the United States was unable to provide military support to Saudi Arabia at the moment because of its ongoing war with Iran.
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