Houthi rebels claim to have captured three entire brigades of Saudi Arabian troops.

Houthi Rebels in Northern Yemen. BBC/Reuters.

Houthi rebels claim to have captured three entire brigades of Saudi Arabian troops in a major border clash. BBC. The Houthis claim that thousands of troops have been captured and many killed as well. They claim that the operation was the biggest since the war began. The Houthis say the captured soldiers will be paraded on television soon. The Saudis have not confirmed any of the Houthi claims. The Saudis are still reeling from an attack blamed on Iran but claimed by the Houthis that destroyed their major oil processing facility. 

My Comment:

It's unclear if this report is reliable or not. The Saudi's don't appear to be saying much of anything at all. You would think they would have said something one way or the other but it appears to not be the case. 

It's possible that the Houthis are exaggerating their victory or making the whole thing up. Propaganda has always been a thing and the Houthis have every motivation to lie. And the numbers involved seem ridiculous. Saudi Arabia only has around 10 or 11 brigades of combat troops. Three brigades would be a significant portion of Saudi Arabia's armed forces and it's almost unbelievable that they could lose that many troops. Though, it's unclear if the brigades were solely made up of Saudi troops. Other countries in the region are fighting with the Saudis and I've heard reports that mercenaries may have been involved as well. 

However, the silence from the Saudis is telling. If the story didn't have any truth to it they would be telling every news organization in the world that the Houthis are lying. As of this writing though, I can't find any comment at all.

That makes me think that something terrible has happened to the Saudis. They might not have lost three entire brigades but it sure sounds like they have at least suffered a massive defeat. Many of those troops were likely captured or surrendered as well. I think something happened but it's unclear exactly what it is. But I am sure it involves a major military defeat for the Saudis. 

If the rumors are even partially true than the status quo in the region has been upended. The defeat of three brigades by a group of rebels is a huge challenge to the military supremacy of the Saudis in the region. The destruction of three bridges would be a major loss of manpower and equipment for Saudi Arabia that wouldn't be easily replaced. 

And this incident comes after the Saudi Arabian economy was wrecked by the Iranian drone/missile attack that crippled their oil production. They are in a very dangerous situation where not only have they been humiliated by their Iranian enemies on two fronts. 

It seems pretty clear that the Iranians have taken the upper hand in their conflict with the Saudis. It's clear that the Saudi's cannot defend their borders and their economy. And it sure sounds like they have been defeated on the battlefield. It makes me worry that the Saudis might do something desperate...

I do think that the Houthis are a very good example of hybrid warfare. They are experts in both conventional and unconventional warfare. They are a group of rebels that have managed to gain access to high tech strategic weapons like ballistic missiles and drones. It's little wonder that they have given the Saudis so much trouble.