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Saudi Arabia is showing genuine concern that Marib could be lost to Ansar Allah, and it is doing all but impossible to defend it.
On April 3rd, media reported that Riyadh had deployed US-made MIM-104 Patriot air-defense systems to Marib, in an attempt to avoid the most negative scenario.
Since 2015, the Houthis (as Ansar Allah are known) have launched 115 ballistic missiles and 140 rockets at Ma’rib city.
The effectiveness of the Patriot defense batteries is questionable, as they failed to protect any of Aramco’s facilities back in 2019.
Also, on April 3rd, the Saudi-led coalition announced that it had thwarted an attack attempt by the Houthis with a booby-trapped boat.
The water-borne Improvised Explosive Device was destroyed off the coast of the town of al-Salif in western Yemen. Saudi-led coalition warships have been targeted repeatedly by such devices throughout the 6 years of the war. G_2(A)
The warships are predominantly used to shell al-Hudaydah, as well as other Houthi positions near the coast.
Saudi Arabia, furthermore, continues its heavy airstrike activity, with at least 17 carried out on April 3rd.
Despite that, the Houthis captured the al-Ahkum area in Hayfan district, southern Yemen. Heavy clashes are continuing in the area near Marib, in the Madghal district.
Meanwhile, in Syria, Russia continues its activities in support of the Damascus government, targeting ISIS terrorists in the central region, as well as the militants in Greater Idlib.
In Central Syria, the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out about 70 airstrikes on ISIS terrorists. At least 15 terrorists were killed in the recent wave of raids.
On April 4th, Russian forces lost their Orlan-10 drone in Greater Idlib, a few kilometers away from the Turkish border. It reportedly crashed as a result of a technical failure. The wreckage was recovered by the militants. In March, Russia lost a Forpost drone, and previously it lost another Orlan-10 drone back in February.
In Northern Syria, the fighting between Turkey, the factions it supports and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces is continuing.
On April 4th, a Turkish combat drone targeted a quarry controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in al-Hasakah. A bulldozer was destroyed.
The SDF are currently being targeted both by Ankara, and by ISIS terrorists due to their activities against the interests of both.
There seems to be a lull in heavy hostilities in Syria, but this is more than likely a calm before the coming storm.
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