Fighting in Yemen’s central Province kills 28 in one day

FIGHTING has flared up between Yemen’s pro-government forces and Houthi rebels in the oil-rich government stronghold of Marib province, with at least 28 fighters killed over the last 24 hours, security officials from both sides and tribal leaders said on Thursday.

Most of the fatalities were among the Iran-backed rebels assaulting the city of Rahbah, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

The rebels have accelerated their push to take Marib in recent months, while escalating cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia, which leads the military coalition opposing them. Thousands of fighters — mostly Houthis — have died in the offensive, with 12 government troops killed on Monday.

Since then, fighting has intensified in Rahbah, which had been under Houthi control for almost two years before falling to government troops in July.

Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition has launched dozens of