Illustrative image, source: the Houthis media wing.
On November 17, a ballistic missile targeted the southern outskirts of the central Yemeni city of Ma’rib, which is held by Saudi-backed forces.
Pro-Saudi sources said that the missile, which was allegedly launched by the Houthis (Ansar Allah), struck a crowded refugee camp in the area of al-Himmah.
These allegations were rejected by pro-Houthi activists who claimed that the missile targeted reinforcements of Saudi-backed forces which were recently deployed in the engineer’s military camp near al-Himmah.
وحدة النازحين بمحافظة مأرب: ميليشيا #الحوثي تقصف مخيم الرحمة الواقع في منطقة مفرق حريب بالقطاع الجنوبي لمدينة مارب بالصواريخ الباليستية.
وحدة النازحين: المخيم تسكن فيه 298 أسرة نازحة. pic.twitter.com/04nl5Yh3zc— المنبر اليمني للدراسات والإعلام (@alminbaryemen) November 17, 2021
The Houthis are yet to officially claim responsibility for the strike, which didn’t apparently result in any casualties. The group’s fighters have been advancing towards Ma’rib city and nearby oil fields for nearly nine months now.
Last week, the Saudi-led coalition foiled an attack by the Houthis on the bulq mountain, the last geographical obstacle before the southern outskirts of Ma’rib city.
Coalition warplanes continue to support Saudi-backed forces in Mar’ib as well as in the nearby province of al-Bayda. Between November 16 and 17, 29 airstrikes targeted Houthi forces in the two provinces. According to the coalition’s claims, at least 90 fighters of the group were killed. An air-defense system was also destroyed.
While the Houthis are about to reach the southern outskirts of Ma’rib city, the battle in the province appears to be far from being over.