4 Yemeni government troops killed in fighting with Houthis

Mohammed Sameai, Mohammad Sio

Four members of Yemen’s government-aligned National Resistance Forces were killed in clashes with the Houthis, the group’s naval forces said Tuesday.

The fatalities occurred in the last several days as forces confronted “terrorist activities by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its allies in Yemen” in reference to Houthis, according to a statement carried by the Al-Joumhouria television channel, which is owned by Presidential Leadership Council member Tareq Saleh, who commands the forces.

The naval personnel were killed while carrying out their duties, said the statement, without specifying where or when the fighting took place or providing details on the circumstances of their deaths.

The announcement comes amid a new escalation between Yemen’s government forces and the Houthis in recent weeks, as the country continues to face one of the world’s worst humanitarian and economic crises.

Yemen has experienced relative calm since 2022 after years of war between government forces and the Houthis, who have controlled Sanaa and other parts of the country since 2014.

A Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government backs government forces, while Iran is accused of supporting the Houthis, who announced a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in July.