Screen grab from combat footage released by the Houthis.
On July 7, the Houthis (Ansar Allah) shared combat footage from the ongoing battle with Saudi-backed forces in the central Yemeni province of al-Bayda.
Last week, Saudi-backed forces launched a large ground offensive against the Houthis in al-Bayda. Saudi-led coalition warplanes have been actively supporting the offensive. On July 6, pro-Saudi news sources reported ground gains in the districts of al-Zahir and al-Sawma’ah.
Nevertheless, the footage shared by the Houthis indicate that Saudi-backed forces didn’t do so well on al-Zahir and al-Sawma’ah fronts.
In both districts, Saudi-backed forces were pushed back by the Houthis and local tribal fighters, who went on to launch successful counter-attacks. The Houthis and their allies used heavy weapons, including battle tanks.
The Saudi-led attack in al-Bayaday is meant to pressure and distract the Houthis, who have been leading a large-scale offensive in the neighboring province of Ma’rib for the last four months.
The ongoing offensive in al-Bayda will not likely end soon. Despite the Houthis’ fierce resistance, Saudi-backed forces will likely advance deeper into the province in the upcoming few days due to the heavy fire power being provided by the coalition.
