Open-source images and footage monitored by Sheba Intelligence indicate a notable increase in the number of Houthi field commanders killed during recent operations on Yemen’s western coast and in Marib and Saada, amid renewed escalation across multiple frontlines.

Military sources estimated that nearly 30 Houthi field commanders may have been killed, mostly in the three areas. They said the rising number of commander deaths likely reflects broader losses among rank-and-file fighters and the growing precision and intensity of government military operations.

Western Coast Operations

Images reviewed by Sheba Intelligence showed nearly 10 Houthi commanders and ideologically committed fighters killed in operations conducted by the Tihama Brigades and the National Resistance Forces on the western coast. Most were reportedly from Hajjah Governorate and belonged to the group’s hardline cadre, whose members describe themselves as “mujahideen.”

Dozens of other Houthi fighters were reportedly killed alongside them.

An analysis of footage officially released by government forces indicates the use of drones to drop mortar rounds, alongside self-propelled artillery guided by reconnaissance aircraft. This combination appears to have improved the accuracy of strikes against Houthi positions, movements and frontline deployments.

The losses coincided with government reports that Yemeni forces struck Houthi targets in southern Hodeidah early Saturday. The operation was described as a response to the group’s escalation in Marib and Hadramawt and its attacks on maritime traffic off the coast of Mokha.

According to the official account, government forces monitored high-value military targets and intensified Houthi movements near the Hodeidah frontline before launching concentrated artillery strikes. Command-and-control centers, fortifications and troop concentrations were reportedly hit, causing personnel and material losses.

Marib: Disrupting the Planned Offensive

In Marib, government forces reportedly disrupted a Houthi attempt to launch a new offensive through precision strikes conducted by self-propelled artillery.

Tactical drones were used to identify targets, refine their coordinates and correct artillery fire during the operation. The strikes hit key operational positions and troop concentrations, limiting the Houthis’ ability to mobilize and advance.

The operation followed waves of Houthi missile and drone attacks against Marib and Hadramawt that, according to military sources, failed to achieve their primary objectives.

The Yemeni military said its broader operations across several frontlines came in response to Houthi attacks on displacement camps and residential neighborhoods in Marib. The strikes killed two people and wounded 14 others, while additional attacks targeted government forces in Hadramawt and maritime traffic off Mokha.

The escalation followed Houthi strikes that reportedly killed at least 30 government personnel in Marib and Hadramawt, raising international concern over the risk of a wider confrontation.

Targeting Houthi Fire Units in Saada

In Saada, military sources estimated that dozens of Houthi personnel involved in operating and directing artillery and short-range missile systems were killed when their positions were targeted by attack drones.

The drones reportedly carried mortar rounds rather than more expensive guided missiles, indicating an effort to combine extended aerial reach and precision with lower-cost munitions.

The tactic appears designed to target Houthi fire-control teams and launch crews while reducing reliance on costly guided weapons.

Less-Substantiated Reports from Manakhah

Separately, media outlets circulated reports claiming that more than 25 Houthi missile specialists and operational personnel were killed, most of them in Manakhah, west of Sanaa.

Sheba Intelligence could not independently verify the reported number or establish whether the deaths resulted from a strike on a missile during launch preparations, a technical malfunction, or an accidental explosion during operation.

It also remains unclear whether any of the reported missile specialists are included in the estimated toll of nearly 30 field commanders.

A More Precise Battlefield Model

The latest fighting points to a shift in government forces’ battlefield capabilities, particularly their integration of tactical drones and aerial surveillance with self-propelled artillery, as well as the use of drones to deliver lower-cost munitions against sensitive positions.

The operations suggest that Houthi command centers, artillery and missile units, and concentrations near the frontlines are becoming increasingly exposed to detection and precision fire.

If sustained, this operational model could significantly increase the cost of the Houthis’ decision to expand the conflict, while constraining their ability to mobilize forces, operate fire systems and launch ground advances.