Yemen’s Huthi rebels were driven out of a key district by the United Arab Emirates-trained Giants Brigade, the militia said Tuesday, a day after the insurgents’ latest missile attack on Abu Dhabi, IgbereTV reports.
The Iran-backed Huthis lost Harib district south of Marib, the strategically vital northern city they have been fighting to topple for months.
The Giants Brigade said “hundreds were killed and wounded on both sides” in battles that lasted for more than two weeks and also secured the neighbouring governorate of Shabwa. There was no immediate comment from the Huthis.
“We thank the Arab coalition for their support for our operations in Shabwa, which were crowned with complete success,” a Giants Brigade statement said.
The clashes are part of a major escalation in the seven-year war after the Huthis, following a series of territorial defeats, launched a deadly drone-and-missile attack on the UAE last week.
The Saudi-led pro-government coalition that includes the UAE hit back with a volley of air strikes, one of which killed at least three children and plunged Yemen into a four-day internet outage
