Houthi forces claim heavy casualties as fighting escalates in northern Yemen

CBS News reported on Tuesday that Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed to have killed or wounded more than 200 Saudi-backed fighters in a series of recent attacks. Houthi military spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree stated on X that the casualty figures were unprecedented for the group. Saree said the clashes took place east of al-Jawf province, located north of Yemen's capital, Sanaa. [1]

The Independent reported that a Saudi-led coalition announced its fighter jets were bombing Houthi rebel positions. AP News and reflector.com both reported that the government of Yemen declared a major military operation against the Houthis. CBS News added that global oil prices eased despite the escalation of conflict over key regional waterways. [1][2][3][4]

Iran has supplied military, financial, and logistical support to the Houthi movement since the 1990s, increasing assistance following the collapse of the Yemeni government in 2011. The Yemeni civil war has been ongoing since late 2014 between the United Nations-recognized Presidential Leadership Council and the Houthi-backed Supreme Political Council. [5][7]

The military escalation in Yemen occurs alongside a broader regional conflict involving the United States, Israel, Iran, and allied regional groups that began in February 2026. Fighting persists as military forces compete for strategic ground north of the capital. [1][6]