After declaring a weekend Houthi move toward Maarib repelled, the Saudis carried out a flurry of airstrikes Monday targeting Houthi reinforcements sent to the same area, destroying at least five pick-up trucks and killing all within.
It’s not clear what the death toll from the Monday strikes is, but on top of 45 Houthis reported killed over the weekend, this is another deadly round of airstrikes and fighting over the contested city.
The Houthis issued their own statement confirming six Saudi airstrikes in the area. They did not provide casualty details. The Saudis reported that they had also destroyed two Houthi drones which were launched against the southern Saudi city of Khamis Mushaif.
Maarib is the last government-held city in northern Yemen, and the Houthis have been pushing hard for months to take that. The fighting is mostly in Maarib, and due south in Houthi-held Bayda, with both sides trying to make gains in either, and mostly just putting up large body counts.
“defensive weapons” people, remember, defensive weapons.