14 Houthi Fighters Killed in Strikes Near Hudaydah

SANAA, August 25: Fourteen Houthi fighters were killed in strikes targeting the group's positions south of the Red Sea port city of Hudaydah, Yemen's government-aligned National Resistance Forces said Tuesday evening.

The National Resistance Forces said in a statement that their forces carried out strikes against Houthi positions and that the attacks "accurately hit their targets." The Houthis had not immediately responded to the claim.

Earlier Tuesday, Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council approved additional "deterrence" measures against the Houthis and pledged to continue efforts to restore state institutions and end the group's control over parts of the country.

The decision was taken during a council meeting in Riyadh attended by all members, according to Yemen's state-run Saba news agency. The meeting focused on military, security and economic developments and the state's strategic options for confronting what it described as an ongoing escalation by the Houthi movement.

The council said the government was continuing efforts to restore state institutions, assert its authority over national territory and address the humanitarian suffering it attributes to the Iran-backed Houthis.

Yemen had experienced relative calm since 2022 after years of fighting between government forces and the Houthis, who seized control of large parts of the country, including the capital Sanaa, in 2014. However, fighting resumed last month in several areas, including Marib, Al-Jawf, Al-Dhale and Taiz.

The Saudi-led coalition supports Yemen's internationally recognized government and its armed forces, while Iran has been accused of supporting the Houthis. The group announced a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in July.

The Houthis have also become increasingly involved in regional hostilities since Israel began its war in the Gaza Strip in late 2023, launching attacks against Israel and Israel-linked shipping in the Red Sea.

The latest strikes and the council's decision indicate renewed tensions in Yemen as government-aligned forces seek to counter the Houthis and restore government control over areas held by the group.