Yemen's Giants Brigades destroy 5 Houthi vehicles near Dhubab Airport

Clashes near Dhubab Airport

Yemen's Giants Brigades announced late Saturday they had destroyed five Houthi armored vehicles during an operation near Dhubab Airport in western Taiz province, according to a statement released on the social media platform Facebook. The government-aligned forces said they "destroyed five Houthi armored vehicles, killing those aboard" while repelling an attempted advance by the group.

The brigades noted the clashes occurred as the Houthis made a "desperate attempt" to push toward the airport, which lies on Yemen's western coast near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. They also released video footage purportedly showing the targeting of the vehicles, with flames visible rising from the wreckage.

Renewed fighting in western Yemen

Earlier on Saturday, the Giants Brigades reported they had thwarted a separate Houthi assault on their positions north of Dhubab Airport. The forces said the Houthis had suffered heavy losses in personnel and equipment during that engagement, though they did not provide specific casualty figures.

The fighting represents the latest phase of a military escalation that began in July and is described as the most extensive since a period of relative calm following a truce that took effect in April 2022. Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since the Houthis seized Sanaa in September 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government.