Dhalea (South24 Center)

Two Southern Forces soldiers were killed and seven others wounded on Friday and Saturday (May 8–9) in attacks and clashes with the Houthis across frontlines in northern Dhalea governorate.

A correspondent for South24 Center reported that six Southern Forces soldiers were wounded in a Houthi drone strike targeting the Al-Fakhir front north of Dhalea, amid fierce clashes that took place in the area over the past hours.

On Friday (May 8), the Dhalea Front and Axis mourned two of its personnel who were killed during direct confrontations with Houthi elements, while another soldier was wounded during clashes across several combat sectors in the northern part of the governorate.

In a statement, the media office of the Dhalea Front and Axis said the two soldiers were killed during direct engagements with the Houthis along the front’s lines of contact.

The statement came hours after the Dhalea Front announced the outbreak of fierce clashes between units of the Southern Armed Forces and the Houthis in the Bab Ghalq, Al-Fakhir, and Hajar sectors.

A field source told the Media Center of the Dhalea Front and Axis that the Houthis carried out a large-scale escalation using medium and heavy weaponry against Southern Forces positions.

The source added that the Southern and Joint Forces responded directly to the sources of Houthi fire, successfully neutralizing them and repelling the attack, noting that the clashes lasted for approximately two and a half hours.

The source confirmed that the confrontations also resulted in losses among Houthi ranks, while a state of high alert and combat readiness continues across various sectors of the front.

The escalation comes amid a noticeable increase in Houthi drone activity across several southern fronts in recent weeks, particularly in Dhalea and Shabwa governorates.

In late March, two soldiers from the Shabwa Defense Forces were wounded in a Houthi drone attack targeting military positions on the Harib front between Marib and Shabwa, while Southern Forces previously announced the downing of reconnaissance drones in the area.

Military sources have also reported repeated Houthi infiltration attempts and intermittent clashes in the Al-Fakhir and Batar sectors north of Dhalea over recent weeks, amid ongoing efforts by Southern Forces to prevent advances toward their frontline positions.

The Dhalea front is considered one of the most active battlefronts in South Yemen, witnessing ongoing confrontations between the Southern Forces and the Houthis, in addition to recurring artillery shelling, sniper attacks, and drone strikes.