The Yemeni Ministry of Defense announced Saturday it has executed a military operation targeting Houthi terrorist elements and their equipment. The Ministry accused the Houthis of dragging Yemen into regional conflicts for foreign agendas and fracturing Yemen's economy while spreading sectarianism among the populace.
Army spokesperson Colonel Majid Al-Nazili stated that this military action was in response to "treacherous Houthi attacks."
The operation highlighted the unity of coordination, command, and control within the armed forces, he added.
The Yemeni army held the Houthis and their backers fully responsible for the continued escalation.
Meanwhile, Al Arabiya sources reported intense clashes between Houthi militias and Yemeni government forces north of Al-Khoukha, western Yemen.
Further reports revealed that the Tihama resistance, part of the western coast's military formation, repelled a Houthi militia assault south of Hodeidah and inflicted significant losses on them.
In response, the National Defense Council of Yemen, during an emergency meeting chaired by Presidential Leadership Council President Rashad Al-Alimi, pledged to remain in session for rapid reaction to the evolving security and field developments. The council directed an increase in military and security readiness and mandated enhanced coordination among state institutions. They also discussed Houthi attacks using missiles and drones on military targets and civilian infrastructure in the provinces of Marib, Hadramout, and Shabwa.
This recent escalation was initiated by a broad Houthi offensive targeting military sites in Marib and Hadramout with ballistic missiles and drones. The Joint Operations Command of the Yemeni Armed Forces reported 17 soldiers and officers killed and others injured.
Subsequent Houthi attacks hit Marib city, where the Yemeni Ministry of Health reported two civilian deaths and 14 injuries from shelling affecting residential areas and displaced persons camps. Local authorities indicated the strikes targeted densely populated and displaced populations.
In response, the United Nations Security Council affirmed its commitment to Yemen’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity. It emphasized that all flights to Yemeni airports must have prior government approval. The Security Council condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and commercial vessels, stressing these assaults threaten regional security.