Yemen: Saudi-led coalition says over 130 Houthi fighters killed near Marib

At least 134 Houthi fighters have been killed in air strikes in the south of Marib province, the Saudi-led coalition said on Tuesday.

“We targeted nine military vehicles of the Houthi militia in Abdiya, and their losses exceeded 134 members,” said a coalition statement.

Yesterday the coalition said it had carried out 19 operations in the past 24 hours in the same area, destroying 12 military vehicles belonging to the joint Houthi-army forces and claiming over 108 fatalities.

Hundreds of Houthi forces and pro-coalition militia have died as a result of the surge in violence over the contested and strategic provincial city. This came following a Houthi advance which began in February. The oil-rich Marib city is the only remaining northern stronghold under the control of the Saudi-based, internationally-recognised Yemeni government.

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On Monday, the Houthi-aligned military spokesperson Brigadier-General Yahya Saree said the army had carried out a massive military operation called Fajar Al Entessar (“Dawn of Victory”) against pro-coalition forces in Marib and stated that they were “on the edges of the city” in a follow up broadcast the next day.

The Houthi forces “today are on the edges of the city of Marib from several sides after defeating traitors and mercenaries… from several districts in Marib and liberating them completely,” Saree said.

According to military sources, the Houthis have made significant territorial gains having taken over an area spanning 600 square kilometres, including the city of Al-Jawbah, while continuing to advance towards Al-Jadid, Al-Rawda and other areas as it seeks to encircle Marib city.

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