Daijiworld Media Network - Sana'a

Sana'a, Oct 4: Yemen's internationally recognised government forces have claimed that at least 700 Houthi fighters were killed in 257 military operations conducted across several fronts in the country as government forces seek to regain territory captured by the Iran-aligned group.

Yemeni military spokesman Colonel Majed al-Nuzaili said the operations involved warplanes, drones, artillery, missiles and rocket launchers. The operations targeted Houthi positions in Sanaa, Midi, Baqim and fronts in Al-Jawf, Marib, Al-Bayda and Lahj, with the main fighting concentrated around Taiz, according to the military.

The government forces said the strikes targeted Houthi command and control centres, troop concentrations, military reserves, weapons and ammunition depots, as well as supply routes and transport. They also claimed that 170 combat vehicles and other military assets were destroyed.

The reported death toll could not be independently verified. The 700 figure was described by the Yemeni military as a preliminary battlefield estimate.

The latest escalation comes as fighting has intensified around Taiz, where government forces and the Houthis have been engaged in battles on several fronts. The Houthis said 55 of their fighters were killed in fighting on Friday, while government sources cited by AFP said 26 government troops were killed. The Houthis have captured large areas in recent weeks but have not taken control of Taiz city, Yemen's third-largest city after Sanaa and Aden.

The Houthis have also claimed attacks on Saudi targets amid the escalation. On Saturday, the group said it launched ballistic missiles and drones at an Aramco oil facility near Riyadh, describing the attack as retaliation for Saudi strikes on Sanaa and other areas under Houthi control. A large plume of smoke and flames was seen near an Aramco facility south of Riyadh, according to witnesses cited by Reuters and AFP.

Saudi authorities and Aramco had not immediately confirmed that the facility was struck. The Houthis claimed that the operation hit its intended targets and caused fires at the site.

The Houthis also alleged that Saudi aircraft had carried out dozens of strikes on Sanaa. Their military spokesman said the group was responding to what he described as Saudi attacks on the Yemeni capital and other areas under Houthi control. Yemen's government forces subsequently confirmed strikes against what they described as vital Houthi targets in Sanaa and Saada.

The renewed fighting marks a sharp escalation after years of relative calm following a fragile truce. The Houthis have recently expanded their control along Yemen's Red Sea coast and around the Bab al-Mandab Strait, while also stepping up attacks against Saudi territory and energy infrastructure.

The conflict is also worsening Yemen's humanitarian situation. The World Food Programme has warned that about three-quarters of the country's population is unable to meet basic food needs, according to recent reporting.