Yemeni government forces killed 12 Houthi fighters on Saturday while repelling an infiltration attempt in the northeastern oil-rich province of Marib.
According to a government statement released on social media platform X, troops clashed with Houthi fighters attempting to penetrate defensive positions in the Al-Faliha area south of Marib, forcing them to retreat while wounding several others.
A Yemeni military official told media on condition of anonymity that Houthi forces are mobilizing fighters and allied tribal groups across several fronts around Marib for a potential large-scale offensive aimed at capturing the energy-rich region. In response, government forces have reinforced their defensive positions.
Warplanes also carried out a series of airstrikes targeting Houthi reinforcements and positions across several areas of Marib.
The renewed clashes in Marib come as wider fighting expands across multiple Yemeni fronts. Military sources reported that at least 44 government and Houthi fighters were killed over the past 24 hours in southwestern Taiz and neighboring southern Lahj province.
The Yemen conflict erupted in late 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen, prompting a Saudi-led military coalition to intervene in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government.