Illustrative image, source: the Houthis media wing.
On January 13, the Houthis (Ansar Allah) announced that they had targeted several gatherings of the United Arab Emirates (UAE)-backed Giants Brigades in the Yemeni province of Shabwah with a number of suicide drones and ballistic missiles.
In a statement, Brig. Gen. Yahya Sari, a spokesman for the group, said that the strike disturbed the Giants’ preparations to launch a new attack in the district of Ain.
“The operation resulted in large numbers of dead and wounded, and caused great panic and confusion in the ranks [of the Giants],” the spokesman said.
Brig. Gen Sari also revealed that Saudi-led coalition warplanes carried out on January 13 at least 43 airstrikes on Shabwah and the neighboring province of Ma’rib in support of the Giants Brigades.
In the first third of January, the Giants Brigades led a successful large-scale operation in Shabwah that pushed the Houthis out from the district centers of Usaylan, Bayhan and Ain. The group sustained some heavy losses during the operation.
The Giants Brigades then moved to district of Harib in Ma’rib, where it linked up with the pro-Saudi wing of the Yemeni Armed Forces on January 13.
The Houthis appear to be determined to repel the Giants Brigades final push in Shabwah and its upcoming operation in Ma’rib. This will not be an easy mission as the Giants’ forces are highly-experienced and well-equipped, unlike most of Saudi-backed forces.