Yemeni official says 15 government troops killed in Hodeidah clashes
A pro-government officer told AFP the Houthis briefly took positions in Jabal Dabbas before being pushed back by dawn Saturday.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
2 min read
At least 15 Yemeni government soldiers were killed in fighting with Houthi forces in Hodeidah governorate, according to a senior official aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government. The reported deaths mark a sharp flare-up on Yemen’s western coast, where front lines have been mostly static since a United Nations-brokered truce in 2022.
Walid al-Qudaimi, a minister of state and cabinet member, said Saturday evening that troops from the Tihama region died in the Jabal Dabbas area. In a post on X, al-Qudaimi said the soldiers were killed while “defending their land and dignity” in the battle.
Al-Qudaimi also said more than 50 Houthi fighters were killed and dozens more were wounded. Al Jazeera and AFP reported that the Houthis had not immediately commented on the alleged fighting or the casualty figures.
Officer says attack began late Friday
A pro-government officer stationed in Jabal Dabbas told AFP that 23 additional government soldiers were wounded. The officer, who AFP said spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk to reporters, described the clashes as fierce.
According to the officer’s account to AFP, Houthi fighters launched the attack late Friday and briefly captured positions held by government-aligned forces. The officer said those forces later counterattacked and regained the sites by dawn Saturday.
The officer told AFP the attack began with sniper fire, which he said caused most of the casualties, before Houthi forces used drones and mortars against the positions. He described it to AFP as the deadliest Houthi assault in years.
War lines remain largely fixed
The Houthis have been at war with Yemen’s internationally recognised government since 2015, according to Al Jazeera and AFP. The movement controls the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen, including Hodeidah, the Red Sea port city in western Yemen.
Yemen’s government is based in Aden and holds broad areas of the south, Al Jazeera and AFP reported. Since the 2022 UN-brokered truce, the main front lines have stayed largely unchanged, though localised fighting has continued.
The latest reported clashes followed Houthi threats against airports and key facilities in Saudi Arabia, according to Al Jazeera and AFP. Saudi Arabia backs Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.