Yemeni government claims to retake Houthi-held areas in Taiz

the group’s fighters had entered.

The army says its advance towards further new areas is continuing. Yemeni forces carried out air strikes on Houthi gatherings. Several military vehicles were destroyed, a depot of medium-calibre ammunition exploded and at least 10 gunmen were killed.

The development comes as the Riyadh-backed Yemeni government has pledged to expand its military presence on the Red Sea coast amid growing clashes with the Houthis.

Meanwhile, Saudi Civil Defence issued an early warning of a possible threat in four cities in the south of the kingdom. The warning covered Najran, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Abha. The authority later withdrew the warnings, announcing that the “threat had passed”.

Meanwhile, global oil prices rose by more than 3 per cent. The closure of a key Saudi oil pipeline, fresh Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and Iranian attacks on ships in the Gulf have further raised concerns over supply.

In this context, Houthi-linked media reported that Saudi Arabia had attacked Saada province, the group’s main stronghold in northern Yemen.

According to the Houthi television channel Al-Masirah, two air strikes were carried out on Saada province. Artillery shelling was also carried out on Monabbih, a border district of the same province.

In a statement on the Social Media platform X, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said Saudi Arabia had carried out 58 air strikes on Taiz, Lahij, Al-Jawf, Hajjah, Al-Bayda and Saada provinces in the past 24 hours. He said F-15 aircraft flying from the Khamis Mushait air base were used.

The Houthis had also announced that they had targeted a military base in southern Saudi Arabia with drones and missiles. The attack on the base in the Saudi city of Sharurah targeted “weapons depots and command and control rooms”.

The spokesman said a large number of ballistic missiles and drones were used in the attack. He claimed the strike was accurate and direct, but did not say when it took place.

The Yemeni government has also claimed to have carried out air strikes on Houthi positions in various areas, destroying military equipment and killing Houthi fighters.