Houthis killed eight civilians during Eid The militia have suffered heavy losses in recent fighting JEDDAH: Yemeni Vice President Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar said on Saturday that he was grateful for the Saudi-led Arab coalition in defending Yemen from “Iran’s destructive influence in the country.” His comments came during a discussion with military commanders in Yemen as they spoke about the progress made in the fight against the Iran-backed Houthi militia, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Al-Ahmar called on the residents of Hajjah to support the efforts of the army to establish security and stability ion the province. Meanwhile, the Yemeni army launched a military operation targeting sites in the east of Sanaa. Army units and forces of the Popular Resistance carried out a surprise attack on the positions of the Houthis. According to sources, the militia suffered heavy losses, while no injuries were recorded among the units of the attacking army. In Taiz, the Houthi snipers shot and killed a woman and wounded another, local sources reported. During Eid, eight civilians were killed by Houthi militia in Taiz.