Yemeni forces kill 80 Saudi-backed mercenaries in Al Bayda

A Yemeni military official said Yemeni forces had responded strongly to the recent Saudi coalition attacks in central Yemen.

A Yemeni military source said that the Yemeni army and Popular Committees affiliated with Ansarullah Houthi movement in cooperation with tribal forces carried out two military operations in the Al-Zahir and Al-Suma areas of Al-Bayda province.

He added that more than 80 Saudi coalition mercenaries, including several al-Qaeda leaders, were killed or wounded in the two operations.

The source stressed that a number of positions occupied by Saudi mercenaries in Al-Suma and al-Zahir were also recaptured during the two operations.

On Monday, spokesperson for Yemen's National Salvation Government Zaifullah al-Shami said that the United States was behind an operation being carried out by the Saudi coalition in the city of Al-Zahir in al-Bayda province codenamed "Al-Najma al-Thaqib".