Yemeni forces target Houthi equipment, commander in west

The Yemeni Armed Forces' 5th Military Region on Friday targeted heavy equipment and excavation machinery used by the Houthis to construct fortifications in western Yemen, while also striking a position where a Houthi commander and his escorts were present, according to state-run Saba TV. No details were immediately available on casualties or the exact locations of the operations.

Front line tensions

The operations come amid heightened military activity between government forces and the Iran-backed Houthis along several front lines. Government forces have reported strikes against Houthi positions in recent days while accusing the group of targeting military and civilian areas with drones and missiles.

Regional conflict

The Houthis overran much of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, in 2014, triggering years of war with government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition. Since the eruption of the Israel-Gaza conflict in 2023, the group has carried out missile attacks on Israel and Israel-linked commercial shipping in the Red Sea, while the latest uptick in fighting—coupled with the ongoing Iran-US conflict—has revived fears of a return to full-scale war in the impoverished Gulf country.