Yemen government forces say struck Houthi targets

SANAA— Yemen's government forces declared on Sunday that they had targeted Houthi installations across the country, escalating the strife that has engulfed a nation already struggling with extreme poverty and regional tensions. The military spokesperson, Colonel Majid al-Nuzaili, reported that airstrikes were conducted against the Houthis in the capital Sanaa, the northwest governorate of Saada, which is a key stronghold for the group, and Taiz in the southwest.

This development brings Yemen back into a state of civil war after a period of relative peace, with the conflict now involving the Iran-supported Houthis, who dominate most of northwestern Yemen, including Sanaa, and Yemen's internationally recognized government-backed by Saudi Arabia, which maintains control over the southern and eastern regions.

The strikes occurred shortly after the Houthis reported an assault on an oil facility near Riyadh, where an AFP journalist witnessed flames and smoke, alleging that the Saudi-led coalition had launched numerous attacks on Sanaa. The ongoing conflict between the two sides has involved repeated exchanges of airstrikes since the Houthis gained control of Yemen's Red Sea coast and seized the Bab al-Mandab strait.