Yemeni army claims 80 Houthis killed near Marib

More than 80 Houthi fighters were reportedly killed in nearly 24 hours of ferocious clashes with government forces near Marib City, the Yemeni army claimed, although the casualty figures could not be independently verified.

According to Brig Gen Yahya al-Hatemi, director of the army's media department, intense fighting erupted from Saturday night to Sunday night across several areas of southern Marib, including Hareb, Mala and Um Rish. The army also asserted that nine Houthi military vehicles had been destroyed. Consequently, Houthi fighters reportedly withdrew from several positions in the face of government counterattacks.

Meanwhile, the army said it had carried out airstrikes on Houthi positions, military concentrations and fortified strongholds throughout Marib, although it disclosed no figures for its own casualties. Furthermore, Arab News reported that funerals were held on Saturday for at least 50 fighters in Houthi-controlled areas, including several senior officials. However, it could not establish whether they had perished in the recent Marib clashes.

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Marib remains a pivotal stronghold, as it hosts major oil and gas fields, key power infrastructure and more than two million people displaced by the decade-long conflict. Nevertheless, the army's broader assertion that hundreds of Houthi fighters are being killed daily remains unsubstantiated. Moreover, the Houthis have offered no alternative casualty figure.