Over 100 Houthis Killed in Hajjah, Marib Battles

A Yemeni army soldier in Marib (AFP)
A Yemeni army soldier in Marib (AFP)
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Over 100 Houthis Killed in Hajjah, Marib Battles

A Yemeni army soldier in Marib (AFP)
A Yemeni army soldier in Marib (AFP)

Over 100 Houthi militants were killed on Friday and Saturday as fierce battles continued to rage between the Iran-backed militia and pro-government forces in the Yemeni governorates of Marib and Hajjah.

Clashes between Yemeni army forces, which are backed by Saudi-led Arab Coalition, and the Houthis have intensified in Marib since early March. Marib is the last major northern stronghold for pro-government forces and is home to one of Yemen’s largest oil infrastructures.

The Arab Coalition’s air forces have successfully targeted Houthi tanks and anti-aircraft weapons in Marib’s Sirwah district. Several Houthi fighters were killed in the offensive.

Despite incurring significant losses in Marib and Hajjah, Houthis continue to rally more reinforcements to battlefronts in the two governorates. The Iran-aligned group has also maintained its attempts to launch cross-border attacks against neighboring Saudi Arabia.

On Saturday, the Arab Coalition destroyed a Houthi explosive-laden drone launched towards Saudi Arabia in Yemeni airspace.

The foiled attack comes a day after the Iran-backed militia launched an explosive-laden Houthi drone targeting Khamis Mushait and a ballistic missile fired toward Jazan.

Friday’s attacks were condemned by the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab Parliament.

The Arab Parliament, for its part, affirmed that the security and stability of Saudi Arabia is a fundamental pillar of the Arab national security and represents a constant strategic depth in the national security system as a whole.

In an official statement, the Arab Parliament warned against the ongoing violations staged by Houthi militias, saying they reflect Iran’s broader scheme for destabilizing the region.

The Cairo-based legislative body called on the international community to take urgent and decisive action to deter Houthi violence and protect civilians.

More so, the Arab Parliament reaffirmed its full stand and solidarity with Saudi Arabia in all the measures the Kingdom takes to protect and preserve its national security and the safety of its citizens and residents.



Rubio Pledges to Consider Reviewing Terrorist Designations in Call with Syrian FM

 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks at a press conference with the Indo-Pacific Quad alongside, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya (R) and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (L) at the State Department in Washington, DC, on July 1, 2025. (AFP)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks at a press conference with the Indo-Pacific Quad alongside, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya (R) and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (L) at the State Department in Washington, DC, on July 1, 2025. (AFP)
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Rubio Pledges to Consider Reviewing Terrorist Designations in Call with Syrian FM

 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks at a press conference with the Indo-Pacific Quad alongside, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya (R) and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (L) at the State Department in Washington, DC, on July 1, 2025. (AFP)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks at a press conference with the Indo-Pacific Quad alongside, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya (R) and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (L) at the State Department in Washington, DC, on July 1, 2025. (AFP)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged to consider further action to review domestic and United Nations terrorist designations related to Syria in a call with that country's foreign minister on Thursday, the US State Department said in a statement.

Rubio discussed with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani previous US moves to remove sanctions on Syria, and pledged to maintain sanctions on “malign actors,” including Bashar al-Assad, his associates, and others who threaten Syrian and international security, said a State Department statement.

Rubio hoped that “together, these steps will mark the beginning of a new chapter for both the Syrian people and US-Syria relations.”

The officials also discussed other matters of shared concern, including countering terrorism, Iran, Israel-Syria relations, and destroying any remnants of the Assad regime’s chemical weapons program, added the statement.