Yemen’s armed forces have announced that they carried out 877 military strikes against Houthi positions across several fronts, claiming that 138 fighters and commanders were killed or wounded during the latest phase of an operation known as “Dawn of Yemen.”
The announcement, made on Wednesday, November 11, comes amid an intensifying military confrontation between forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognised government and the Iran-aligned Houthi movement.
According to the military spokesperson, the latest operations involved a combination of airstrikes, drone attacks, rocket-launcher missions and artillery bombardments targeting Houthi positions, military installations, reinforcements and equipment.
The spokesperson said the operations comprised 23 airstrikes conducted by combat aircraft, 44 drone strikes, 37 rocket-launcher attacks and 773 artillery strikes.
The military described the attacks as part of a coordinated campaign intended to weaken Houthi military capabilities and disrupt the movement of fighters and reinforcements across several areas of the country.
It claimed that 138 Houthi fighters and commanders had been killed or wounded during the operations. The spokesperson also said some of those affected included field commanders who had reportedly received training in Iran from individuals affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The military further reported that 86 heavy weapons, vehicles and other military assets had been destroyed or disabled.
However, the casualty figures and claims of military damage were attributed to Yemen's armed forces and had not been independently verified.
Fighting continues across multiple fronts
The latest military operations reportedly covered several important battlefronts, including Marib, Al-Bayda, Taiz and Al-Jawf, where government forces have continued confronting Houthi fighters.
On the northern and Al-Jawf fronts, emergency units and forces from the Fifth Military Region reportedly operated alongside Nation’s Shield forces and the Sixth Military Region. Their activities focused on Houthi positions, movements and military reinforcements.
In Marib, forces from the Third and Seventh Military Regions, supported by the Popular Resistance, engaged Houthi fighters and attempted to prevent attacks against government-controlled positions.
The military spokesperson said government forces had repelled attempts by Houthi fighters to break through their defensive lines.
Marib remains strategically important because of its location, military infrastructure and energy resources. Control of the surrounding territory has remained a major issue in Yemen's prolonged conflict.
In Al-Bayda, Shabwa Defense forces and Saba Region units reportedly continued operations against Houthi movements and sources of fire.
Government forces also maintained operations in Taiz, where military units supported by the Popular Resistance reportedly targeted Houthi gatherings, positions and firing points while attempting to repel attacks.
On the southern and southwestern fronts, Nation’s Shield forces, Giants Brigades and National Resistance units were also reported to have conducted attacks against Houthi positions and military assets.
The military said its forces would continue operations across the different fronts while taking measures intended to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Operation Dawn of Yemen intensifies
The latest announcement represents another update in the military campaign known as Operation Dawn of Yemen, which has involved repeated attacks against Houthi positions and movements.
In an earlier announcement on November 10, Yemen's armed forces claimed to have conducted 874 attacks against Houthi targets, reporting approximately 190 fighters and commanders killed or wounded.
That operation reportedly involved 29 airstrikes, 39 drone attacks, 62 rocket-launcher missions and 744 artillery fire missions.
The military also claimed that approximately 130 vehicles and other pieces of equipment had been destroyed or damaged during those operations.
The changing figures reflect separate operational updates released by the military as fighting continues across several areas.
The latest report of 877 strikes and 138 casualties represents the figures announced for the operations described on Wednesday, rather than an independently established overall death toll from the conflict.
Wider regional tensions add to Yemen's instability
The renewed fighting is taking place against the background of wider regional tensions involving Saudi Arabia, Iran and other Middle Eastern countries.
Saudi Arabia has supported Yemen's internationally recognised government in its conflict with the Houthis, while the Houthi movement has maintained political, military and financial ties with Iran.
The conflict has increasingly affected regional security, including threats to shipping routes, oil infrastructure and strategic locations around the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
In recent days, the Houthis have claimed responsibility for attacks against Saudi targets, including an incident involving debris from an intercepted missile attack that damaged parts of the Aramco Tower in Riyadh.
Saudi authorities reported limited damage and no casualties from that incident, while the Saudi-led coalition said its air defences had intercepted missiles.
The coalition has also reported strikes against Houthi missile-launching facilities in Yemen.
These developments have increased concerns that the conflict could expand further, creating additional security risks for neighbouring countries and international commercial shipping.
Civilian protection remains a major concern
The escalation has raised serious concerns about the potential consequences for civilians living in areas affected by the fighting.
Yemen has endured more than a decade of conflict, leaving millions of people dependent on humanitarian assistance and exposing communities to food shortages, displacement, damaged infrastructure and limited access to healthcare.
Recent reports of deadly airstrikes and retaliatory attacks have further highlighted the risks facing civilians as the conflict intensifies.
The Associated Press reported that airstrikes near the capital, Sanaa, on November 7 killed at least 27 people and injured 36 others, according to figures provided by the Houthi-run Health Ministry. The Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia, but the claims could not be independently verified.
The renewed violence has also raised fears that previous diplomatic efforts to reduce hostilities could collapse as both sides intensify military operations.
Although Yemen's armed forces have described their latest campaign as an effort to weaken Houthi military positions, the longer-term impact will depend on whether government forces can maintain their operations and secure territory without worsening the humanitarian crisis.
For now, the military's announcement of 877 strikes and 138 reported Houthi casualties provides another indication of the intensity of the fighting across Yemen.
The claims have yet to be independently confirmed, and the full extent of the damage and casualties remains unclear.
As Operation Dawn of Yemen continues, attention will remain on developments across Marib, Taiz, Al-Bayda and other strategic fronts, as well as the possibility of further escalation involving regional powers.