In Marib governorate, clashes between pro-Hadi and Houthi forces decreased considerably last week while Saudi-led coalition airstrikes remained at sustained levels. In Taizz, the Saudi-led coalition targeted missile platforms that Houthi forces have used to target Saudi Arabia ( Khabar News Agency, 8 September 2021 ). This increase in airstrike events is most likely a response to continued Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.
In Sadah, the Houthi stronghold in northwestern Yemen, last week marked the second week this year with the most airstrike events. This ensures consistency in the data especially given the overall rare reporting on exact airstrike counts. As ACLED is an event-based dataset, ACLED records airstrike events rather than airstrikes. 1 Note that one airstrike event can include several airstrikes and that the number of airstrikes can greatly vary from one event to another. In Taizz, the number of airstrike events last week was the most recorded in a week since May 2018. In Yemen, although overall levels of political violence decreased last week, there was a significant increase in Saudi-led coalition airstrikes on Taizz and Sadah governorates.
Lastly, a new government was formed in Lebanon. In another development, the escape of six high-security Palestinian prisoners from an Israeli prison led to heightened tensions throughout the occupied West Bank. Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces launched drone and shelling attacks on Iranian Kurdish rebel bases in Iraqi Kurdistan. In Iraq, the Islamic State (IS) carried out a deadly attack against Iraqi Federal Police in Kirkuk province. In Syria, regime forces resumed military operations in Dar’a city after negotiations with the Dar’a Central Committee once again reached a deadlock. In Saudi Arabia, a Houthi attack caused civilian injuries for the second time in two weeks. At the same time, overall levels of political violence decreased in Yemen, including in Marib. Last week in the Middle East, the number of Saudi-led coalition airstrikes surged in Taizz and Sadah governorates in Yemen.