Iranian-backed Houthi militias and forces allied to deposed leader Ali Abdullah Saleh have launched a large campaign of raids and arrests against activists and politicians in the Yemeni capital. According to Al Arabiya News Channel, at least 50 people have been arrested in Sanaa where Houthis have a dominant presence. Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition has sent military support to forces loyal to the internationally-recognized President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi in the eastern province of Marib, according to the channel. If pro-government forces manage to push the Houthis out of Marib, they could potentially advance rapidly across Jawf, a flat, desert province bordering Saudi Arabia that is also a gateway to Saada. Since late March, the Saudi-led coalition has bombed Iranian-backed Houthi militias and forces allied to Saleh, in a bid to put Hadi's government back in power.
