Houthi missiles kill 9 Yemeni soldiers

Yemeni soldiers stand on their position on a mountain on the frontline of fighting with Houthis in Nihem area, near Sanaa, Yemen January 27, 2018. (REUTERS)

• The Houthi missile attack comes as forces from the internationally recognized government on Monday killed a rebel military commander in the southern province of Taiz after repelling many Houthi attempts to make territorial gains

AL-MUKALLA: The Iranian-backed Houthi group fired a ballistic missile and two Katyusha rockets at a military base controlled by government forces in Yemen’s Dhale province on Tuesday, killing nine soldiers and injuring at least 18, Arab News has learned.
Fuad Jibari, a spokesperson for anti-Houthi Dhale Military Axis, told Arab News that the missile hit a military gathering in the north of Dhale province, killing and injuring a number of soldiers.
The attack was followed by another rocket strike, targeting first responders who rushed to the scene to recover the soldiers. Six soldiers were critically injured and were taken to Aden hospitals.
The Houthi missile attack comes as forces from the internationally recognized government on Monday killed a rebel military commander in the southern province of Taiz after repelling many Houthi attempts to make territorial gains.
Col. Abdul Basit Al-Baher, a Yemeni Army spokesperson in Taiz, told Arab News that army units killed Brigadier Ali Abdul Raziq Al-Sharee, the commander of the Houthi 17 Infantry Brigade who hails from Hajja province, in clashes with rebels in Al-Roubai region, west of Taiz city.
“A reconnaissance unit identified a gathering of Houthis who were preparing to attack government forces. Government forces took the initiative and shelled them with artillery fire, killing the commander and a number of his associates,” Al-Baher said.
He added that the Houthis have been mounting offensives on the city of Taiz for two months in an attempt to seize control of an important road that links the city with Aden.
This highway has been described as a “lifeline” for humanitarian and military supplies. “They have amassed huge forces and military equipment and launched many attacks for two months, focusing on the western edges of the city, the only entry post under government control,” Al-Baher said.