24 hours of Saudi airstrikes in the Sirwah District of Maarib Province have killed at least 43 Houthis, according to officials. Nine vehicles were also reported destroyed in the airstrikes.
The attack took place on the front line, where the Houthis and pro-Saudi fighters are contesting Maarib. The pro-Saudi reports say that all the slain were Houthis, with no other casualties at all.
This is common in claims on strikes, though the recent reports have suggested the Houthis are making a lot of gains around the periphery of Maarib, leaving open the question of why the pro-Saudi reports are always so upbeat and are claiming victories that never show up on the ground outside of body counts.
Maarib is the last pro-Saudi territory in northern Yemen, and the Houthis have been trying to take it since February. Both sides seem to believe that a conclusive victory here would put them in a stronger position in the next round of peace talks.
The peace talks were expected this summer, with Oman brokering. The fighting has gone on for so long, however, that the talks have ended up indefinitely on hold.
I recall that ANA was putting out similar chirpy reports of endless victories a few weeks ago, even as it collapsed like a rotted out shack that was hit by a wrecking ball and a few pounds of TNT
https://www.indianpunchline.com/biden-doctrine-appears-in-persian-gulf/
The Saudis are functioning on borrowed time. They could probably end this conflict and remove their troops from Yemen.
Eastern Saudi Arabia’s oil fields are manned by those of Muslim Shia persuasion. Under the right conditions (sabotage) that entail personal transit through Yemen, Iran and Qatar might welcome them with open arms.