Yemeni government forces thwart major Houthi attack in oil-rich Marib: Media
Members of the Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces fire a tank during what they say to be clashes with Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis in a location given as near Al-Hazm, Yemen, in this screen grab obtained from a handout video released September 9, 2026. PHOTO: REUTERS
Yemeni government forces thwarted a large-scale attack by the Houthi group in the oil-rich Marib province in central Yemen on Saturday, according to local media.
The government-aligned West Coast news website said government forces repelled the attack in the Al-Mashjah and Al-Zour areas, west of Marib.
The website provided no further details, while neither government forces nor the Houthis issued an immediate statement on the report.
The development comes amid ongoing fighting between government forces and the Houthis across several fronts, including Marib, Al-Jawf, Taiz, Al-Dhale and Al-Bayda provinces.
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Social media activists circulated videos purportedly showing dozens of Houthi members who were killed or captured during fighting Friday on several fronts along Marib’s borders.
Yesterday, the Trump administration had no plans for direct military action against Houthi forces in Yemen, though it is providing Saudi Arabia with substantial intelligence and targeting support, two US officials told ABC News on Friday.
The anonymous officials said that assessment could shift if threats to Red Sea shipping routes intensify, they noted.
Admiral Brad Cooper, head of the US military’s Central Command, visited Saudi Arabia for talks Thursday as part of Washington's support for Riyadh, said one official.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held two calls on Thursday with President Donald Trump, with the prince pressing for direct US military involvement, though he stopped short of calling it essential, according to the official.
"The United States is focused on protecting our core national security interests – such as ensuring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea – while empowering our regional partners to take the lead in managing and resolving regional security challenges," said a senior administration official.
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A second official said Riyadh had signalled a willingness to launch a major offensive against the Houthis alone if necessary, though no decision had been made.
Officials added that Houthi forces reportedly seized Yemen's west coast early Friday, but government troops and allied militias continued resisting, leaving the outcome uncertain absent outside intervention.
Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and several provinces in 2014. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 in support of Yemen’s internationally recognised government.