100 Houthi rebels get killed in action by Saudi and its Arab allies in Yemen

Riyadh: – Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies have killed at least 100 Houthi rebels in operations carried out in Yemen over the past three days. At the same time, Houthi attempts to launch drone strikes on Saudi Arabia’s Abha International Airport were thwarted. Meanwhile, Saudi authorities have defused 2,620 landmines from various parts of Yemen in the past week. Following last week’s GCC meeting, Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies have stepped up their crackdown on Houthi rebels in Yemen. The military alliance of Arab countries has launched a campaign to secure the areas held by the Houthi rebels and the areas where the Houthi rebels are trying to gain dominance. On Friday, Saudi and Arab military forces launched airstrikes in the Yemeni provinces of Marib and Al-Jawf.

At least 80 Houthi rebels were killed in this action. On Sunday, airstrikes were launched on vehicles of the Houthi rebel in the Taiz province. Seven Houthi rebels were killed and two vehicles were destroyed. It is claimed that the number of Houthi rebels killed in the attack could be higher. Saudi Arabia has not released the details of the action taken on Saturday. The operation is in response to attacks by Houthi rebels on Saudi civilian and military installations.

On Sunday, the Houthi rebels tried to launch two drone strikes on the international passenger airport in Abha, in south Saudi Arabia. But both drones were shot down by Saudi air security forces deployed to guard the airport. It is claimed to have avoided major casualties. Saudi Arabia’s Abha airport has previously been the target of Houthi rebel drone and rocket attacks. Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies have criticised the Houthi rebels for targeting Saudi citizens in the conflict.

The Arab League has accused the Houthi rebels of ignoring the Saudi and the Yemeni population. The government of President Hadi in Yemen, recognised by the international community and the Iranian-affiliated Houthi rebels, have been at loggerheads since 2014. In this conflict, Houthi rebels have planted thousands of landmines in different parts of Yemen.

In 2018, Saudi Arabia signed an agreement with the Hadi government of Yemen to defuse the landmines. Saudi authorities have removed 2,96,181 landmines from Marib, Aden, Jawf, Shabwa, Taiz, Houda, Lahij, Al-Bayda in the last three years Al-Dhal and Sada, along with the Yemenis capital Sana. More than two and a half thousand landmines were defused in the last week alone.