Houthis announce downing of Saudi aircraft and ongoing battles in Yemen

The Houthis announced Saturday evening the downing of a Saudi Apache helicopter off the coast of Najran on the border with Yemen, while the Yemeni army announced the seizure of new military positions on the eastern front and the foiling of Houthi attacks in Taiz, and the execution of 1,417 targeting operations that resulted in the neutralization of about 800 Houthi elements.

The Houthis announced Saturday evening the downing of a Saudi Apache helicopter off the coast of Najran on the border with Yemen, according to military spokesman Yahya Saree. Saree said that the Saudi warplanes launched 53 airstrikes in the past 24 hours targeting civilian facilities in the capital Sanaa and the provinces of Taiz, Ibb, Lahij, Saada, and Amran, causing a large number of casualties including women and children. He indicated that the total number of Saudi airstrikes since the escalation began on Yemen has reached 2,542 airstrikes and missiles. In response, the Yemeni army announced Saturday the seizure of new military positions on the eastern front and the foiling of ongoing Houthi attacks in Taiz province in southwestern Yemen. The official spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Majed al-Nuzaili, said that the forces carried out 1,417 targeting operations in 24 hours, resulting in the neutralization of about 800 Houthi elements between dead and wounded, using warplanes, drones, artillery, and rocket launchers.