Saada: The Yemeni army reported on Friday that it successfully repelled a significant Houthi assault in the northern province of Saada, resulting in the deaths of 10 soldiers and leaving dozens of Houthi fighters either killed or injured.

According to Anadolu Agency, the military media center shared a statement from Brig. Gen. Yasser Mujalli, the commander of the Alab Axis and the 63rd Infantry Brigade, detailing the event. Houthi forces launched a large-scale attack at dawn, targeting army positions along the Alab front in northern Saada. Mujalli explained that the army detected enemy movements and thwarted the attack, launching a counteroffensive that inflicted heavy losses on the Houthi forces and forced them to retreat.

Mujalli further stated that dozens of enemy fighters were killed or wounded, with their bodies scattered across the rugged terrain, and three Houthi military vehicles were destroyed. He confirmed that 10 soldiers died while fulfilling their national duty.

The Houthi group has not yet commented on the incident. The recent clashes mark the fiercest fighting between the two sides since August 2022, when a similar battle in Taiz province resulted in the deaths of 10 government soldiers and 23 Houthi fighters.

Despite a UN-brokered truce declared in April 2022 that led to a reduction in hostilities, intermittent fighting continues to disrupt the fragile peace. The Houthi group still controls several northern provinces, including the capital Sanaa, which it took over on September 21, 2014.

In December 2023, UN envoy Hans Grundberg announced that both the Yemeni government and the Houthis had agreed to a roadmap that included a nationwide ceasefire and measures to improve humanitarian conditions. However, the plan remains unimplemented amid mutual accusations of non-compliance.