Saudi Arabia launched more than 90 attacks in Yemen in 24 hours, Houthis claim - report

Saudi Arabia has carried out 94 airstrikes in Yemen over the past 24 hours, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarie claimed, according to a Friday Ynet report.

The attacks were allegedly carried out using fighter jets and missiles and targeted civilian sites in the provinces of Sana'a, Saada, Taiz, Hajjah, Amran, and Al Bayda.

Sarie alleged the strikes caused civilian deaths and injuries, according to the report.

He also claimed that the total number of Saudi strikes on Yemen since the beginning of the escalation has reached 1,350.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said ‌on Friday that it had intercepted and destroyed three ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis towards the southern Saudi city of Khamis Mushait, Reuters reported on Friday. 

Tensions between Saudi Arabia, Houthis remain high

The Houthis threatened to target bridges in Saudi Arabia in retaliation for airstrikes the group claims were carried out by the Saudi military, a Sana'a military source told Lebanese outlet Al Akhbar on Monday.

According to the source, Saudi Arabian airstrikes have targeted Yemeni bridges and other civilian infrastructure while claiming they were missile launch platforms.

"Civilian bridges are not used for military purposes," the source said, calling the Saudi practice "utter bankruptcy."

Saudi Arabia prepares offensive against Houthis

Reuters also reported Friday that Saudi Arabia is preparing an offensive against the Houthis aimed at breaking the group's grip on the coast and securing Red Sea shipping routes.

According to six people familiar with the preparations, the operation is expected to begin in the coming weeks. It would be led on the ground by Yemeni forces overseen by Riyadh and supported by Saudi airstrikes.

The objective of the offensive is to reverse gains made by the Houthis last month, when they seized control of parts of the coast, particularly around the Bab al Mandab Strait, according to the report.

Saudi officials are considering two possible options for the assault, according to Gulf and Yemeni officials. One would involve a narrowly focused attack around Bab al Mandab, while the other would involve a broader offensive with synchronized attacks on multiple fronts across Yemen, including in Al Bayda, Marib, Taiz, and Al Jawf.

More than 100,000 Yemeni troops could be mobilized in the offensive, depending on the scale, the officials all said.

Spokespeople for the Saudi and Yemeni governments, the Houthi group and the US military didn't immediately respond to requests for comment about the Saudi plans.

Bab al-Mandab is the southern exit passage of the Red Sea, a key shipping route between the Mediterranean and Asia that's assumed even more importance this year as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed by the Iran conflict.