ADEN — Airstrikes targeted Houthi positions in Yemen’s Marib and Al-Jawf provinces on Saturday as the internationally recognized government stepped up military preparedness amid growing battlefield tensions.
Yemen’s state television reported that the strikes hit Houthi reinforcements in the districts of Al-Jubah, Majzar and Al-Safra, targeting missile launchers, a Katyusha rocket-launching base and weapons depots. The broadcaster said several Houthi fighters, including missile specialists, were killed.
The latest attacks came days after Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi accused the Houthis of serving Iran’s agenda and warned the group against further escalation.
The developments also follow the Houthi attack on a commercial vessel in the Red Sea and the Saudi-led Coalition’s announcement that it had carried out proportionate military strikes against Houthi targets in Hodeidah linked to threats against international shipping.
According to local reports, the latest strikes also hit areas in Majzar and Al-Safra north of Marib, as well as Al-Jubah and Mahliyah south of the province, where government forces and Houthi fighters have maintained intermittent front-line clashes in recent months.
While authorities have not released detailed assessments of the strikes, they come amid broader military movements across several fronts, with government forces increasing their readiness for possible further escalation.
During a meeting in Marib on Saturday, Presidential Leadership Council member Sultan Al-Aradah stressed the need to enhance combat readiness and strengthen the defensive and operational capabilities of military and security units.
The meeting was attended by Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Taher Al-Ogaili, Chief of Staff and Joint Operations Commander Lt. Gen. Sagheer bin Aziz, and the commander of the Saudi-led Coalition forces in Marib, Brig. Gen. Fares Al-Shammari. Officials reviewed battlefield developments, force readiness and the implementation of operational plans across multiple fronts.
Al-Aradah described the government’s campaign as a decisive battle to defend Yemen’s republican system and national principles, calling for continued improvements in military capabilities, discipline and operational performance to restore state institutions.
He also urged residents in Houthi-controlled areas not to allow the militia to recruit their sons into the fighting, calling on tribal leaders and families to resist recruitment campaigns. He accused the Houthis of prolonging the conflict by rejecting regional and international peace initiatives.
Officials also emphasized the importance of closer coordination among the armed forces, security agencies, popular resistance groups and political and tribal leaders to strengthen the government’s position.
Al-Aradah praised the support provided by the Coalition, describing it as essential to strengthening Yemen’s state institutions and military capabilities.
Defense Minister Al-Ogaili and Chief of Staff Bin Aziz said the armed forces would continue carrying out their duties while enhancing coordination and operational capabilities to protect the republic and counter what they described as Houthi threats.
Source: Saudi Gazette