Yemeni army says more than 200 Houthis ‘neutralized’ in past 24 hours

By Tarek Chouiref

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Yemeni army said Sunday that its forces had “neutralized” around 218 Houthi fighters and field commanders in 753 operations over the past 24 hours, destroying or damaging 78 military vehicles and weapons.

The army said the operations targeted forward command centers, fortifications, firing positions, troop concentrations, reinforcements and supply vehicles as part of Operation Dawn of Yemen.

It said the attacks disrupted Houthi reinforcements heading to front lines and supported raids and ground assaults by government forces.

The army gave no breakdown of those killed or wounded among the 218 it said were “neutralized.” There was no immediate comment from the Houthis.

The military said it was continuing its offensive to weaken the group’s ability to mass forces and regroup. It maintained that its operations targeted only military sites and that precautions were being taken to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and other provinces in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government.

The Houthis control much of northern and western Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, while the internationally recognized government and allied forces retain Aden and substantial areas of southern and eastern Yemen. However, renewed fighting has shifted front lines, particularly along the Red Sea coast, and control of some areas remains contested.