Yemeni government forces have announced significant progress on the battlefield, claiming to have repelled Houthi assaults in Marib province. Simultaneously, the Houthi movement reported a devastating strike on a village in Sanaa province that left at least 27 people dead and roughly 30 others wounded.
Government troops, supported by warplanes and drones, engaged in hours of fighting to secure positions in Marib, where they reportedly destroyed enemy fortifications and combat equipment.
Military operations have also expanded into Houthi-held regions of al-Jawf province. This push marks the third consecutive day of intensified combat as part of the “Dawn of Yemen” operation, an initiative launched by the internationally recognized government more than a month ago to reclaim territory.
Colonel Majed al-Nazili, a spokesman for the government forces, stated that the army conducted 875 individual attacks on Houthi positions throughout Saturday. He claimed these operations succeeded in “neutralizing” approximately 130 Houthi commanders and fighters, while also disabling or destroying 50 vehicles and missile launchers.
In Sanaa province, the Houthi-run Saba news agency reported that the casualties occurred in al-Shariya village, located north of the capital. Anees al-Asbahi, a spokesperson for the local health ministry, noted that a high percentage of the victims were women and children. The Houthi-led Supreme Political Council, headed by Field Marshal Mahdi al-Mashat, has vowed to retaliate for the attack.
As the conflict intensifies, the warring parties continue to trade accusations regarding civilian casualties. During the past two days alone, the Houthis claimed the total civilian death toll reached 55, placing blame on Saudi-led coalition air strikes. Conversely, Yemeni government officials have consistently held the Houthi movement responsible for the majority of these losses. “Two narratives are blaming each other and pointing the finger at each other, while this is taking a toll on civilian casualties,” Mawry said.
Beyond the local ground fighting, the Houthi movement asserted that it recently launched six separate attacks against Saudi Arabia using drones and ballistic or cruise missiles. Targets cited by the group included King Khalid International Airport and oil facilities in Riyadh, alongside sites in Khurais, Dawadmi, and a National Guard installation in Najran. They also claimed to have targeted coalition troop gatherings in al-Jawf and Marib.
The Saudi-backed coalition, however, reported intercepting incoming threats. Colonel Turki al-Malki, a spokesperson for the coalition, confirmed that forces successfully shot down a Houthi ballistic missile over the Riyadh region early on Saturday. These competing reports remain difficult to verify independently as hostilities persist across the country. Could not independently verify the claims.
