At least 80 fighters have died in clashes between Houthi militants and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces across several regions of Yemen since Thursday, RFI reports, citing sources from both sides.
The reported deaths mark a dramatic escalation of fighting in Yemen, where a tenuous calm has reigned between the Houthi rebels and government forces since a truce in 2022 drastically reduced major hostilities. Recent skirmishes have raised fears that the conflict could reignite into a wider war.
There have been reports of fighting in a number of places, but it is not clear exactly where or the split of casualties between the two sides.
In recent weeks, the Iran-backed Houthis have intensified their attacks on government positions, while Saudi Arabia-backed government forces have launched operations against Houthi-held regions. Earlier fighting in Taiz and on Yemen’s western coast also killed combatants on both sides.
The latest escalation comes amid rising regional tensions involving Iran, Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern powers. The Houthis have also carried out attacks against Saudi targets and shipping in the Red Sea.
The war in Yemen started in 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, sparking years of fighting and a Saudi-led military intervention.
