Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree disputed Saudi-backed forces’ claims of advances in Yemen fighting on Tuesday, asserting that his forces retained their battlefield gains.
Saudi-backed forces claimed on Monday that they had recaptured Dhubab district near the Bab al-Mandeb strait. They later claimed control of the port city of Mocha.
However, Saree dismissed the announced advances as “imaginary heroics”. His statement claimed that dozens of strikes in Ras al-Arah and al-Saqiya killed or wounded more than 200 Saudi-backed personnel.
It placed those attacks in the hours before the announcement. Meanwhile, Saree described further strikes against military concentrations in eastern al-Jawf province and east of Ragwan in Marib province.
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He claimed casualties and vehicle destruction at both locations. In a separate statement later on Tuesday, Saree claimed a ballistic missile hit Abha International Airport in Saudi Arabia and disrupted flights.
Separately, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Houthi attacks on civilian and economic facilities on Monday. Its statement named Abha among the targeted cities.
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Saree renewed his warning against international airlines using Saudi airspace, except over Mecca and Medina.
Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree rejected Saudi-backed forces’ claims of territorial advances and announced further strikes.
