SANA'A, 03 Septermber 2021, (TON): Military officials said that at least 140 Houthi fighters were killed in fierce clashes with Yemeni government troops in the central province of Marib.

The casualties came on the fifth consecutive day of heavy fighting as the group intensified its attacks on government positions in an attempt to break through defenses and capture the city of Marib.

Backed by Arab coalition warplanes, Yemeni army officials said government forces had succeeded in fending off the latest assaults.

Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi has pledged to challenge Iran’s bid to spread its revolutionary beliefs and undermine the security of Yemen.

The current escalation started on Saturday with the Houthis’ push toward Marib. Non-stop fighting over the past 24 hours, coupled with more than 41 sorties by coalition jets targeting dozens of enemy reinforcements and equipment, had resulted in major losses for the militant group.

Yahiya Al-Hatemi, director of the Yemeni army’s military media, told Arab News: “These are the most aggressive battles during the last five years. The Yemeni army has pushed back all of the attacks.”

He said that on Wednesday the coalition’s warplanes destroyed six vehicles carrying dozens of Houthis. “If we counted the Houthis who were killed in the airstrikes, the number would be more than 140.”