For the first time in their month-long war against Yemen, Saudi ground troops were involved in direct combat today, fighting against Houthis along the border in a battle that left dozens killed.
The fighting began with the two sides trading mortar fire along the border. Saudi officials claim the Houthis attacked them first, and also claimed that only three of the slain were Saudi troops, with the rest Houthis.
Elsewhere in Yemen, there continued to be skirmishes between Houthis and the remnants of the former Hadi government, with Saudi warplanes launching airstrikes against several cities.
The World Food Program also announced it is pulling out of Yemen’s western Hudaydah Province today, having run out of fuel, and will likely halt aid in other provinces in the near future. The Saudis have been conducting a naval and aerial blockade of Yemen, which historically imports over 90% of its food, causing widespread shortages.
