Photo courtesy of Anadolu
Airstrikes struck Houthi targets in Yemen’s Marib and Al Jawf provinces on Saturday, according to the country’s state broadcaster, as tensions in the region continued to rise.
Yemen TV reported that the attacks targeted Houthi reinforcements in several locations across the two provinces, although it did not identify the military responsible for carrying out the operation.
The broadcaster said the strikes hit missile launch sites, a Katyusha rocket base and weapons storage facilities in the districts of Al Jubah, Al Safra and Majzar.
Several Houthi fighters were reported killed, including individuals believed to have expertise in missile operations, according to the report.
The Houthi group did not immediately issue a statement confirming or denying the reported airstrikes.
The attacks came after the Houthis warned they would block Saudi-linked vessels from passing through the Red Sea and the Bab al Mandab Strait, escalating tensions with Saudi Arabia.
Earlier this week, the group announced restrictions on maritime traffic involving Saudi Arabia, raising concerns over shipping through one of the world’s busiest trade routes.
In response, the Saudi-led coalition pledged to strengthen security measures in the Bab al Mandab Strait and vowed to take firm action to safeguard commercial vessels passing through the waterway.