Yemeni government forces pressed their offensive against the Houthis on Saturday, advancing along the western coast and in Marib as the military reported more than 2,750 precision targeting operations in 24 hours. The sixth day of Operation Dawn of Yemen saw intensified airstrikes on Houthi positions and weapons facilities, while troops sought to eliminate remaining pockets of resistance around the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait. The Southern Giants Brigades repelled a Houthi attack north of Dhubab airport, inflicting casualties and equipment losses on the group’s fighters, according to military reports. Warplanes from the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen also struck reinforcements dispatched by the Houthis to strengthen their positions and support fighters trapped in the area. The clashes followed a major operation aimed at recapturing the remaining parts of Bab al-Mandab and its islands, where hundreds of Houthi fighters were believed to be holding out in scattered pockets behind minefields and trenches. Military units continued clearing operations and dismantling fortifications, seeking to consolidate control over recaptured territory while preventing the group from breaking the encirclement of its fighters. Strikes deep inside Houthi territory Yemen’s military announced that it had conducted more than 2,750 precision targeting operations over the previous 24 hours, hitting fortifications, defensive positions, observation and reconnaissance posts, artillery positions, weapons and ammunition depots, supply warehouses and military reinforcements across multiple fronts. Armed forces spokesperson Col. Majed al-Nuzaili reported that the campaign also struck what he described as legitimate, high-value military targets deep inside Houthi-controlled territory. Preliminary battlefield assessments indicated that more than 1,400 Houthi fighters had been neutralized and over 250 combat vehicles and other pieces of military equipment destroyed or disabled, he added. According to Nuzaili, the losses had weakened the group’s ability to maneuver, provide battlefield support and sustain combat operations. He also reported that ground forces had breached Houthi defenses, recaptured strategically important elevated positions and consolidated their gains while continuing the offensive according to established military plans. Separately, the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen announced the destruction of 136 military targets in a large-scale operation against Houthi fighters and military capabilities in areas under the group’s control. Coalition spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki said the campaign aimed to dismantle and destroy the Houthis’ ballistic missile network, reaffirming that coalition aircraft would continue providing round-the-clock support to Yemeni military units. Heavy fighting in Marib In Marib province, east of Sanaa, government forces and Popular Resistance fighters maintained operations along the front lines, launching attacks on Houthi positions in the southern sectors. The forces captured several positions after breaching fortifications and clearing minefields planted by the group. The Yemeni Armed Forces Media Center reported Houthi casualties and equipment losses as government troops pressed their offensive on the northern and northwestern fronts. Surveillance and reconnaissance operations also continued to monitor Houthi movements and reinforcements. According to the center, manned and unmanned aircraft, artillery and rocket launchers targeted Houthi positions, troop concentrations, command centers, weapons depots, firing positions and drone operating sites along the front lines and in areas under the group’s control. The center reported that dozens of Houthi fighters had been killed or wounded in the clashes. It also confirmed the deaths of 22 members of the armed forces and Popular Resistance, with others wounded. Battle to restore state authority Against the backdrop of the fighting, Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council member Abdulrahman al-Mahrami praised government forces for their resilience and battlefield performance. He described the clashes as part of a broader struggle to restore the state and its institutions and confront what he called the Iran-backed Houthi project. In a Facebook post addressing troops stationed along the western coast, in Bab al-Mandab and on other fronts, Mahrami urged them to maintain their resolve until the campaign achieved its objectives. He also commended their role in confronting the Houthis and protecting regional security. Mahrami also renewed his appreciation for the Saudi-led Coalition to Support Legitimacy, stressing that Yemeni forces and their coalition partners were fighting a common battle and sharing its burdens and sacrifices.
