ADEN, Yemen, July 5 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from a Houthi attack on Yemeni government forces in the Red Sea province of Hodeidah has risen to 14, with several others wounded after fierce clashes on the Hays frontline, military and medical officials told Xinhua on Sunday.
The Houthi assault targeted two barracks of the 2nd Zaraniq Brigade on the Hays frontline in the southern part of Hodeidah province on Saturday, where fierce fighting erupted between the two sides, a military official said on condition of anonymity.
The official said the Houthis briefly seized control of the barracks after launching the attack, but government forces later regrouped, recaptured the positions and forced the attackers to withdraw after hours of intense clashes.
A medical official at a local hospital, speaking anonymously, confirmed to Xinhua that the death toll had climbed to 14 after additional bodies of government soldiers were brought from the battlefield. Several wounded soldiers remained hospitalized, some in critical condition.
The latest fighting comes as the Houthis have stepped up military and tribal mobilization across areas under their control in recent days. The campaign has included tribal gatherings, armed rallies and public demonstrations, accompanied by renewed calls to end what the group describes as the Saudi-led blockade on Yemen.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized control of the capital Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year in support of the internationally recognized government.
A UN-mediated truce between the Yemeni government and the Houthis, first reached in April 2022 and renewed twice, lasted for six months before expiring. Both sides have largely maintained a "de facto ceasefire" since then, despite sporadic clashes in several contested regions. ■
