The Saudi-led Arab Coalition announced on Sunday that it destroyed drone warehouses belonging to the Houthi militias in their stronghold of Saada in Yemen.
Coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Maliki revealed to Al-Arabiya television that Houthi drones, which are called “Qasif” by the militias, were actually re-branded Iran-made Ababil drones.
An examination of the debris showed the drones were manufactured by Iran and used by the Houthis, Maliki said in a statement cited by the Saudi Press Agency.
The spokesman described the use of drones by the Houthis as an act of terrorism, stressing that militia terror crimes are being countered effectively and dealt with in a timely and firm manner by coalition forces.
In what is considered a military escalation, Maliki said that the Houthis have resorted to Iranian drone attacks to divert attention from great losses they are suffering in strategic locations in Saada, Hodeidah, al-Bayda and Hajjah.
He revealed that the militias were dealt a “painful blow” after their field commanders were targeted in Razih front.
The commanders were identified as Abu Hussein Ghathwan, Walid Saleh al-Ghamri, Ali Qassim Qazan and Hamid Muhammad Rawiya.
In a separate development, pro-government Yemeni Popular Resistance spokesman Colonel Sadeq Dweid said that forces are inching in closer to Hodeidah and are only 18 kilometers away after winning fierce battles against the Houthis.
The Arab Coalition and Yemeni Resistance forces are also making major advances beyond Zubeid Junction, south of Hodeidah.
Hodeidah Governor Dr. Hassan Taher said that Yemeni national army troops and pro-government resistance forces continued their strong advances towards Hodeidah with the support of the Arab Coalition.
In a statement quoted by Yemeni news agency Saba, he explained that three new directorates in Hodeidah have been liberated from Houthis.
