SANAA, Yemen (AP) – Fighting between the forces of Yemen’s internationally recognized government and Houthi rebels has raged in the provinces of Marib and Taiz, killing at least 70 fighters on both sides, officials said on Sunday.
The increase in violence has taken place over the past 24 hours and at least 85 others have been injured, military officials from both sides said.
The Iranian-backed rebels renewed their offensive on the oil-rich province of Marib, an anti-Houthi fortress owned by the internationally recognized government, in February.
But they have not made significant progress amid fierce resistance and heavy losses, mostly as a result of airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition countering the advance.
The attack on Marib has sparked violence in other areas, including the Tazi province being besieged by the Houthi government. Clashes also occurred in Hajjah province and the port city of Hodeida.
Officials said at least 42 fighters were killed in Marib and 28 in Taiz. According to them, most of the dead are rebel fighters.
The military officials from both sides spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Abdu Abdullah Magli, a spokesman for the Yemeni army, said they had repulsed the Houthi attacks in the Sorouh district of Marib this past weekend and reclaimed territory from the rebels.
The Houthi offensive on Marib has threatened to exacerbate the already serious humanitarian crisis in Yemen. The province is sheltering about a million Yemenis who have fled elsewhere in the country from Houthi offensives.
The Iranian-backed rebels also intensified their cross-border attacks by missiles and explosive drones on Saudi Arabia. It is an apparent attempt to pressure the Saudi-led coalition to stop its airstrikes on the rebels in Marib and elsewhere in Yemen.
The intensified fighting and attacks on Saudi Arabia come amid international and regional diplomatic pressure to end the conflict.
Saudi Arabia and the Biden government recently put forward separate ceasefire proposals. However, the Houthis rejected them.
The conflict in Yemen began with the takeover of the capital Sanaa in 2014 by the Houthis. A Saudi-led coalition linked to the Hadi exile has been fighting the rebels since March 2015.
The war in Yemen has led to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis and millions of people are suffering from food and medical shortages. According to a database project monitoring the violence, some 130,000 people have been killed, including fighters and civilians.