Fights between Yemeni government forces and Houthi rebels are intensifying on several fronts, with dozens of Houthi fighters killed or wounded, a government official said today, quoted by DPA, BTA reports.
Government forces have launched a major offensive on the country's western coast, using heavy artillery and drones in attacks on Houthi positions, the source told DPA.
The operation followed Houthi attacks with drones and ballistic missiles in areas between the Hoha and Moka districts in western Yemen. Government forces also attacked Houthi reinforcements and their supply routes to the front lines in Taiz province, using artillery and drones, the government official added.
In the eastern province of Al-Jawf, government forces subjected Houthi positions to heavy artillery and drone fire, with reports of fighters from the rebel group being killed and wounded.
Meanwhile, government forces repelled a Houthi attack in the Barh area, east of Mocha. The Houthi suffered losses in personnel and military equipment, DPA reported. The agency notes that it cannot independently verify the information and there has been no comment from the Houthis so far.
The latest clashes erupted amid an escalation of tensions between the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and the Iran-backed Houthi movement, which has been going on for about six weeks. These are the most serious clashes in years and they raise fears of a larger conflict despite calls from the UN for restraint, DPA recalls.