Saudi-Led Coalition Warns It Will Not Let Houthis Shift Yemen's Balance of Power
Published
A source close to the Saudi military said on Friday that the coalition backing Yemen's government since 2015 will not stand idly by as Iran-backed Houthi forces escalate attacks on Yemeni troops. The source, speaking anonymously, said the coalition does not seek escalation but will not allow the current balance of power on the ground to be changed. Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said the group struck Saudi-backed military build-ups in Marib and Hadramawt, including the al-Wadiah area near the Saudi border. Yemen's Joint Operations Command confirmed 17 soldiers and officers killed. A Yemeni military official said the assault on the troop camps was the worst in Yemen since 2022.
Sources
Difference in reporting
Sources factually disagree on the death toll from the Houthi assault on Marib and Hadramawt: the Saudi-backed Yemeni Joint Operations Command confirmed 17 soldiers and officers killed; France 24 reports a military source putting the toll at at least 58, with medical sources earlier citing 38; NBC News and The War Zone report at least 30 killed, citing Yemeni officials; and Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree claimed hundreds killed and wounded. The remaining facts are uniform: ballistic missile and drone strikes hit government camps in Marib and Hadramawt including al-Wadiah, and a source close to the Saudi military said the coalition does not seek escalation but will not allow the current balance of power on the ground to be changed.
Commentary
Loading comments…