Yemeni government forces say 1,370 Houthis ‘neutralized’ in 1,729 strikes

Yemeni government forces said Thursday that 1,370 Houthi fighters had been “neutralized” in 1,729 strikes as part of the “Dawn of Yemen” military operation, Anadolu reports.

The forces said in a statement that the strikes targeted Houthi observation posts, forward command-and-control centers, weapons depots, supply points, reinforcements and military positions across several fronts.

It said they used “advanced modern weapons” in the operations, which also destroyed or damaged 300 military vehicles, equipment and other assets.

The figures could not be independently verified.

Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi announced the launch of the “Dawn of Yemen” operation Monday, saying it aims to restore state institutions, retake the capital, Sanaa, and end Houthi control.

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Government forces have since announced advances in southwestern Yemen, including around the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The Saudi-led coalition, which supports Yemen’s internationally recognized government, said 100 fighter jets took part in the operation against Houthi positions.

The offensive came amid renewed fighting in Yemen following Houthi advances in September, including the seizure of the strategic port city of Mokha and Mayyun Island overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since the Houthis seized Sanaa in September 2014, prompting the Saudi-led coalition to intervene in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government.

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