Over 400 Saudi-backed Forces Killed or Wounded in Lahj: Source

By Al Mayadeen English

A senior Yemeni source tells Al Mayadeen that over 400 Saudi-backed forces were killed or wounded in Ras al-Ara, as Saudi Arabia mobilizes its ground forces despite the scale of its losses.

Saudi Arabia has been pressing its military mobilizations to achieve any field advance, regardless of the cost, a senior Yemeni source told Al Mayadeen, amid mounting casualties among Saudi-backed forces.

The source said there is growing discontent among Saudi-backed forces over the “shocking” number of dead and wounded, while Saudi Arabia continues pushing its forces forward despite the losses.

The Yemeni source said more than 400 members of the Giants Brigades, a Saudi-backed formation, have been killed or wounded so far in Ras al-Ara in Lahj, including commanders.

The mounting casualties have fueled discontent among Saudi-backed fighters, according to the source, who said the scale of the losses has become a source of growing concern among the forces deployed in the area.

The source added that the failure of Saudi Arabia’s air defense systems has pushed Riyadh to increase pressure on its ground mobilizations in an effort to secure a battlefield gain despite the losses.

Saudi Arabia caught off guard by Yemeni missile strikes

The senior Yemeni source further said Saudi Arabia was surprised by the volume and precision of Yemeni missile strikes.

The intensity of the Yemeni missile attacks, he said, has complicated Saudi Arabia’s efforts to achieve military gains and added pressure to its ongoing escalation against Yemen.

The source also pointed to growing fears in Saudi Arabia that the war could continue for an extended period, adding that some companies and investors have already begun considering leaving Saudi Arabia.

YAF repel second Saudi-backed advance toward Bab al-Mandab from Lahj

The Yemeni Armed Forces have repelled a Saudi-backed force attempting to advance toward Bab al-Mandab from Lahj for the second time within hours, saying they destroyed more than 22 armored vehicles and killed and wounded dozens of fighters, including several commanders.

In a statement, Yahya Saree, spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, said the YAF struck the advancing forces with a large number of ballistic missiles, supported by artillery and heavy weapons, preventing them from making any further advances.

The forces also reported that more than 30 ambulances had arrived in Aden carrying dead and wounded members of the Saudi-backed formations.

The announcement comes amid conflicting accounts of control over areas around Bab al-Mandab, with Saudi-backed forces claiming to have secured positions in the area while the Yemeni Armed Forces say they have repelled repeated advances and driven back the attacking forces.