According to the Taiz Military Axis, 16 Houthi fighters were killed and others were injured during the fighting.

TAIZ: Three civilians, including two women, were killed and five others injured in shelling by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the southwestern province of Taiz, according to a government office.

The government-run Office of Siege Affairs in Taiz said late Friday that the civilians were killed when Houthi forces shelled the Sabir al-Mawadim district south of the province.

The victims were identified as Safwan Saeed Obeid, 28, Asia Abdulsamad Saeed Ahmed, 55, and Safiya Hazza Saif al-Baadani.

The office said separate shelling attacks targeted the al-Shaqab area south of Taiz and Aqaqa in the west, injuring five civilians, including two women.

Yemeni Army Reports Clashes With Houthis

The Yemeni army said on Friday that it had repelled a large-scale Houthi attack on the al-Shaqab front south of Taiz following clashes that lasted around eight hours.

According to the Taiz Military Axis, 16 Houthi fighters were killed and others injured during the fighting.

The army also reported carrying out airstrikes against Houthi positions near the al-Hangar checkpoint and the al-Maqbaba and al-Kamil hills in the al-Dabab area west of Taiz.

The strikes reportedly targeted Houthi military reinforcements, weapons and equipment east of the al-Shaqab front.

The Houthis had not immediately commented on the army’s claims.

Two Tanker Attacks Reported Off Saudi Arabia

Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported two incidents involving tankers off the coast of Saudi Arabia.

In the first incident, reported at 1922 GMT on Friday, a tanker came under attack around 78 nautical miles (144 kilometres) northeast of Al Jubayl.

According to a UKMTO advisory, the vessel’s master reported that a rocket-propelled grenade had been fired from a small boat, damaging the tanker’s aft port quarter.

All crew members were reported safe. However, the extent of the damage and any potential environmental impact had not been determined at the time of the report.

In a separate incident, UKMTO said a tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile around 68 nautical miles northeast of Al Jubayl at approximately 0200 Pakistan time on Saturday.

Citing the vessel’s company security officer, the maritime agency said all crew members were safe and had been evacuated. No environmental impact was reported at the time.

Authorities were investigating both incidents, and vessels operating in the area were advised to exercise caution and report suspicious activity.

Saudi-Led Coalition Targets Houthi Missile Platforms

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said late Friday that it had destroyed Houthi ballistic missile launch platforms in the northwestern province of Saada.

Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki announced the operation, but no further details were immediately provided.

The development comes amid continuing hostilities between the Houthis and forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government.

Saudi Arabia Welcomes UN Statement on Houthi Attacks

Saudi Arabia has welcomed a United Nations Security Council presidential statement condemning Houthi attacks against the kingdom and calling for cooperation to prevent the group from obtaining weapons.

In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry highlighted the council’s condemnation of what it described as continued and escalating Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, including strikes targeting airports and energy infrastructure.

The ministry also welcomed the council’s concerns over threats to maritime navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

Saudi Arabia stressed the importance of implementing Security Council Resolution 2216, adopted in 2015, and subsequent resolutions. The measures call for an end to Houthi violence, withdrawal from seized areas, the handover of weapons taken from state institutions and the facilitation of humanitarian access.

The ministry said Saudi Arabia reaffirmed its right under international law to take necessary measures to protect its security and defend its citizens and residents.

The Security Council’s presidential statement, adopted earlier in the week, condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and called for cooperation, including with Yemen’s internationally recognised government, to prevent the group from acquiring arms and related equipment.

Yemen’s Conflict Continues

Yemen has been embroiled in conflict since the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and several other provinces in September 2014.

In March 2015, a Saudi-led coalition intervened in support of the internationally recognised government, escalating the conflict into a broader regional crisis.

The fighting has continued to threaten civilian lives and infrastructure, while attacks and security incidents have also raised concerns over maritime safety in waters surrounding the Arabian Peninsula.