Houthis report about 40 Saudi strikes in fresh attack

SANAA: Yemen's Houthi group disclosed that Saudi forces carried out approximately 40 airstrikes on Thursday, marking a fresh escalation following recent Houthi attacks on the kingdom. Houthi news agency Saba reported that the Saudi air force conducted the strikes in the governorates of Taiz, Hodeida, Al-Jawf, and Marib. The Houthis, who hold significant portions of northwest Yemen, initiated a large-scale offensive last week against Yemeni government forces, who are supported by Saudi Arabia.

Additionally, the Houthis launched attacks on Saudi territory that resulted in dozens of casualties. On Wednesday, the Saudi-led coalition combating the Houthis reported that the rebels had fired ballistic missiles and drones at several cities in southern Saudi Arabia, prompting the Saudi civil defense to issue alerts warning of potential danger in the areas of Khamis Mushait and Abha.

The Houthis aim to advance towards the Red Sea's coastal areas bordering the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital shipping lane connecting Asia to Europe via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. The importance of this waterway has grown since the start of the broader Middle East conflict, which escalated after Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz.

Since the outbreak of violence in Yemen last week, the conflict has resulted in over 500 deaths, primarily combatants, according to an AFP tally compiled from various sources. Yemen descended into war in July following years of relative tranquility, drawn into the regional conflict sparked by the US-Israeli offensive against Iran that commenced at the end of February.