Click to see full-size image. (Russian Ministry of Defense)

In the Dobropolye direction, clearing operations continue in the urban area, with Russian forces holding the southern part of the city and repelling attempts by Ukrainian units to relieve their grouping. In the Slavyansk direction, the 25th Army has regained control of Ozernoye and is developing an advance towards Krasny Liman. In the Zaporozhye direction, Russian troops have taken Yulyevka and Chervony Yar, expanding the zone of control north of Orekhov. In the Sumy region, assault groups of the “North” grouping have advanced near Khoten and Velikaya Rybitsa. In the Kharkiv direction, the clearance of the Reznikovsky cauldron is nearing completion. European Union leaders at an extraordinary summit on 26–27 November will attempt to agree ways of covering Ukraine’s funding shortfall for 2027, estimated at €70 billion, and will also discuss the EU’s multiannual budget for 2028–2034.

Dobropolye direction

Clearing of the urban territory continues in Dobropolye. The southern part of the city is already under stable Russian control, although scattered Ukrainian groups are still encountered there. Ukrainian units launched a counter-attack in an attempt to relieve their grouping and cut off the salient towards Belozerskoye, operating in the areas of Novovodyanoye and Zolotoy Kolodez.

In the Zolotoy Kolodez area, Russian troops are advancing on both flanks of the settlement. On the Dobropolye front, Russian forces are expanding the zone of control around Sergeyevka. Systematic clearing of the city continues in Dobropolye. Fighting is under way on the approaches to Belozerskoye and in the Zolotoy Kolodez area.

Russian troops are increasing pressure on Belozerskoye, bypassing the town on the flanks. Units have reached the outskirts and taken up positions in the southern built-up area and adjacent forest belts. Belozerskoye lies only a few kilometers from Dobropolye. Consolidation here could open a route via Novodonetskoye and Stepanovka towards Aleksandrovka.

Territories south of Dobropolye have been cleared of Ukrainian units. Russian fighters have taken Zolotoy Kolodez in a pincer movement and continue clearance operations. Reports from the ground indicate an improvement in the forward edge and strikes against positions in the areas of Zavidovo-Kudashevo, Krivorozhye, Starorayskoye and other settlements.

Slavyansk direction

Russian units in the north have gone over to counter-attacks and have retaken Ozernoye. This eases the position of the 3rd Army in the Raygorodok area, allowing it to concentrate more strongly on Nikolayevka. Strikes from the Orekhovatka area towards Raygorodok have been repelled. The Volunteer Corps holds Nikanorovka, Malinovka and Vasyutinskoye.

Russian troops near Krasny Liman are attempting to disrupt logistics and are advancing from the areas of Zarechnoye, Torskoye and Yampol. The Ozernoye area has been cleared. If Dibrova can be regained, the southern approaches to Krasny Liman will be cleared, creating the possibility of linking up with units holding positions in the town.

In the Konstantinovka sector, intense positional fighting continues in the areas of Rayskoye and Alekseyevo-Druzhkovka. Russian units are seeking to drive Ukrainian forces out of Klinovoye and Verolyubovka in order to secure the eastern flank for a future envelopment of Druzhkovka.

Zaporozhye direction

The Russian Ministry of Defence has reported that the village of Yulyevka has come under control. Nearby, Chervony Yar has also been taken adjacent to Timoshovka, which was captured the day before. The “East” grouping is expanding the zone of control north of Orekhov.

Fighting continues unabated in Orekhov itself. Judging by the pattern of operations, the Russian command is seeking to envelop the grouping center in Shirokoye, where Ukrainian forces have established a strong defensive line. Fighting continues in the northern part of Ternovatoye. Most of the settlement remains under Russian control. Earlier, Russian units took Zaporozhskoye and are gradually reducing the salient.

In the areas of Lyubitskoye and Novosoloshino, Russian troops have gone over to counter-attacks. Fighting in Vozdvizhevka has largely ended and Ukrainian units have been driven out. Battles have begun for Rozhdestvenskoye. Further south, the advance continues from the captured Chervony Yar. Assault groups are operating on the outskirts of the villages of Mirovka and Obshcheye. Thus, in the Zaporozhye direction, Russian units are systematically expanding bridgeheads, pushing Ukrainian forces out of key strongpoints and disrupting their logistics.

Sumy direction

Heavy positional fighting continues in Sumy direction. Russian aviation, drone teams and artillery are increasing the intensity of strikes against Ukrainian positions. Ukrainian units have concentrated on strengthening their defensive lines.

In the Sumy border area, positional fighting continues on the main lines. Fierce clashes are under way in the Yunakovka area; Ukrainian units are attempting to insert small groups but without success. Russian assault troops have advanced in the areas of Khoten and Velikaya Rybitsa overall progress amounting to up to 300 meters.

In the Sumy district, Russian assault troops have advanced near Khoten and Velikaya Rybitsa. Overall progress amounted to up to 300 meters. In the Shostka district, heavy positional fighting continues near Korenek. In the Krasnopolye district, assault groups of the “Northerners” are advancing near Turya. Russian units continue methodically to press the Ukrainian defenses, exploiting their advantage in artillery and drones.

Kharkiv direction

Assault units of the “North” grouping are developing their success in the area of the former “Volchansk cauldron”. The Ukrainian side has stepped up its information activity and is widely disseminating inaccurate claims about alleged control over lost settlements.

North of Bolshoy Burluk, clearance of the so-called Reznikovsky cauldron continues. According to official data, the main settlements have been cleared. The territory is extensive, almost 400–500 square kilometers. Isolated positions will continue to be cleared for some weeks yet. Ukrainian units, relying on Maly Burluk and Prikolotnoye, are attempting to reach the Plotva River in the area of Vasilyevka, Blagodatnoye, Nefyodovka and Chyornoye.

In the Lipetsk direction, Russian troops have advanced on three sectors south of Novaya Kazachya and Tokarevka. Overall progress amounted to 250 meters. In the Volchansk and Veliky Burluk directions, assault groups of the “Northerners” continue to advance southwards. There have been successes in the areas of Prikolotnoye, Maly Burluk and Kolodeznoye. Over the past day overall progress amounted to up to 500 meters.

Conclusion

In the Dobropolye direction, Russian forces are consolidating in the southern part of the city and enveloping Belozerskoye. In the Slavyansk direction, the 25th Army has gone over to the counter-offensive, recovering lost positions and creating a threat to Ukrainian logistics in the Krasny Liman area. In the Zaporozhye direction, the capture of Yulyevka and Chervony Yar has enabled the expansion of bridgeheads and continued pressure on Orekhov. In Sumy region, positional fighting continues with gradual advances by Russian assault groups. In the Kharkiv direction, the clearance of a large cauldron is nearing completion, freeing forces for further offensive operations. The overall trend remains the use by Russian units of small-group tactics that combine assault actions with strikes by artillery, aviation and drones, allowing them methodically to disrupt Ukrainian logistics and expand the zone of control.

European Union leaders at the extraordinary summit on 26–27 November will attempt to agree ways of covering Ukraine’s funding shortfall for 2027, estimated at €70 billion. The EU has already earmarked €45 billion for Ukraine in 2027, yet Kyiv’s financial needs substantially exceed this amount. Even taking into account the planned European funding, Ukraine’s additional requirement is assessed at approximately €70 billion.

Initially, Brussels had expected Norway, Switzerland, Canada, Japan and the United Kingdom jointly to provide a further €45 billion over 2026–2027. Not all the promised funds have been allocated, however. As a result, EU member states will have to agree to additional financing mechanisms for Kyiv, including the possibility of a new loan. At the same time, European leaders continue to negotiate the Union’s seven-year budget for 2028–2034. Brussels aims to conclude the talks by the end of the current year, since electoral campaigns due in a number of EU states in 2027 could further complicate the achievement of a compromise.

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Russian FPV drones have destroyed another Czech-made DITA 155 mm self-propelled howitzer in Ukrainian service, footage released by Russia’s Rubikon drone unit shows.

The video, published on October 20, shows drones striking the artillery system near Novopavlivka in the Donetsk region. Rubikon said the attack took place two days earlier. The footage shows an explosion and smoke rising from the vehicle after the strike.

The attack follows footage released by Rubikon on October 7 showing Russian drones destroying a DITA in the Sumy region. The two incidents have brought fresh attention to the vulnerability of Ukraine’s relatively small fleet of the advanced artillery systems.

Developed by Czech defense company Excalibur Army, the DITA combines a NATO-standard 155 mm gun with an automated loading and fire-control system. Its most distinctive feature is that the entire weapon can be operated by just two crew members, a driver and a commander, without requiring personnel to work directly around the gun.

The howitzer has a manufacturer-advertised range of up to 39 kilometers and carries 40 rounds. It can fire six rounds per minute during its initial firing sequence and sustain five rounds per minute. Its onboard ballistic computer and automated gun-laying system are designed to shorten the time needed to engage targets and leave a firing position, reducing exposure to enemy counterbattery fire.

The 29-tonne system is mounted on an eight-wheel-drive Tatra chassis powered by a 300-kilowatt engine. It can reach speeds of up to 90 kilometers per hour on roads and has a listed cruising range of 600 kilometers.

The combination of mobility, range and automation makes it a modern alternative to older artillery systems, but it does not eliminate the danger posed by drones that can locate and attack vehicles while they are stationary.

The Netherlands financed Ukraine’s initial acquisition of nine DITA howitzers, which were delivered in the summer of 2024. In October that year, the Dutch government ordered six more, bringing the publicly announced procurement to 15 systems, with delivery of the additional guns planned for 2025.

The exact number now in Ukrainian service has not been publicly established. Ukrainian defense publication Defense Express reported in March 2026 that the manufacturer had produced a high double-digit number of DITA systems overall, raising the possibility that Ukraine received more than the 15 publicly announced. However, the company’s production total also includes systems for other customers, and no further Ukrainian orders have been publicly announced.

The latest strike highlights a growing battlefield challenge for modern artillery. Even systems designed to fire quickly and relocate within minutes remain vulnerable when drone operators identify their positions and direct repeated attacks against them.

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• Russian strikes destroyed targets in Sumy, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Kyiv, Volyn, Vinnytsia, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Chernihiv, Khmelnytskyi, Rivne, Cherkasy, Poltava, Lviv, and Zhytomyr and the DPR;
• According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 186 strike UAVs;
• Russian forces struck a depot centre in Poltava;
• Russian forces struck Nivki PS-330 power substatio in Kiev;
• Russian forces struck a dry cargo ship in the Odessa region;
• Russian forces struck Epicenter shopping center in Uman;
• Russian forces struck a logistics center in the Mykolaiv region;
• Ukrainian losses amounted to approximately 1,185 troops over the past 24 hours.

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• No Miracles Expected: Moscow Meets Witkoff From A Position Of Strength
• Russia’s Rostec is Developing Faster Attack Drones With Longer Range

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Iran is preparing to unveil a new weapon dubbed the “father of all bombs,” a spokesman for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on October 21, as Tehran signals a shift toward a more offensive military doctrine.

“We are in the stage of preparing to unveil the ‘father of all bombs.’ This is something new for the enemy,” IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebi said in remarks carried by Iran’s Young Journalists Club news agency.

His remarks came after United States President Donald Trump hinted last week at the possible use of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, known as the “mother of all bombs,” against Iranian nuclear facilities.

Weighing approximately 9,800 kilograms, the GBU-43/B is among the largest non-nuclear conventional bombs in the U.S. arsenal. It was first used in April 2017 during Trump’s first presidential term, when U.S. forces targeted a tunnel complex belonging to the Islamic State group in Afghanistan.

Mohebi also said Iran’s missile stockpile had increased 1.5-fold following the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June 2025, without disclosing specific figures.

“The quality of the missiles has improved significantly, and their range, destructive power and accuracy in hitting targets have increased,” he added.

The IRGC spokesman said Tehran was moving away from a predominantly defensive military posture toward what he described as permanent and absolute deterrence.

“Previously, Iran’s defense doctrine was purely defensive. We used to say that if a country attacked us, we would respond,” Mohebi said.

“Now, we say that if a country attacks us, we will not only respond but also launch an offensive,” he added.

In addition, the spokesman affirmed that Iran would retaliate against any attack with comparable measures and increasingly rely on asymmetric warfare to impose greater costs on its adversaries.

“Our doctrine will no longer be merely offensive; it will be asymmetric. We will attack the enemy in a way that makes them feel the intensity of our response,” he said.

The remarks came amid reports of expanded Iranian missile exercises. Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom reported on October 15, citing Arab media, that Iran had launched at least 30 ballistic missiles of two types during an IRGC exercise earlier in that week.

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Yemen’s Houthis (Ansar Allah) released footage October 20 showing Rujum drones striking Saudi military positions along the border with the kingdom’s Jizan and Asir provinces.

The video showed the drones targeting troops, barracks and vehicles. The group described the attacks as the first use of Rujum drones on those border fronts. It said surveillance enabled coordinated strikes on multiple locations simultaneously.

The Rujum is a modified version of the Chinese-made YD6-1000S hexacopter bomber drone featuring a 44-minute flight time and a 2 kg payload capacity, adapted to deploy munitions such as 60 mm mortars.

Houthi military media said the strikes destroyed main battle tanks, weapons depots and rear-area supply centers, and breached Saudi defensive barriers.

Reports of Saudi troops killed near the Yemen border or inside Yemen have circulated more frequently in recent weeks. No official overall toll has been published.

The Houthis also have stepped up operations along the border. Earlier this week, the group shot down a Saudi AH-6i light attack helicopter near Najran, killing both crew members. Despite the release of footage confirming the helicopter was hit, the kingdom said the aircraft crashed because of a technical malfunction.

The escalation along the Yemen-Saudi border could be a prelude to a large-scale Houthi incursion into the kingdom in the near term.

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• The Yemeni army (Ansar Allah) struck the operations room at the Badr military camp near Aden Airport with a ballistic missile;
• The Yemeni army (Ansar Allah) struck the Saudi military equipment at Riyan airport in Mukalla;
• Fighting between Ansar Allah and the Saudi-backed forces continue in Jabal Han and the Old Airport west of Taiz.

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Illustrative image. (Israeli Air Force)

Dozens of Israeli fighter jets and refueling aircraft flew over Syria and Iraq toward Iran’s border earlier this week in a mission that U.S. officials suspect may have been intended to provoke Tehran into firing on them, Hebrew media reported Wednesday.

Israel informed Washington ahead of the flight, describing it as a military exercise and a show of force intended to deter Iran, Channel 12 reported, citing U.S. officials.

The aircraft followed a route resembling an attack on Iran but turned around shortly before reaching Iranian territory and returned to Israel.

Several sources told Channel 12 they suspected some Israeli officials may have hoped Iran would fire on the aircraft, providing Israel with a justification for launching an attack. The report said the flight covered more than 1,000 kilometers toward Iran, putting Israeli aircraft within range of Iranian air defenses.

The report comes amid growing tensions over the possibility of renewed Israeli strikes on Iran. The Financial Times reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to launch another offensive earlier this month, but President Donald Trump opposed renewed fighting before the U.S. midterm elections.

Channel 12 also reported that Israeli military Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir warned his American counterpart, Gen. Dan Caine, that a war before Israel’s parliamentary elections next week would likely force a postponement of the vote. Zamir said Tuesday that the military would ensure the elections proceeded “without external interference.”

Israeli security officials have also expressed concern that recent remarks by Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz could prompt Iran to consider a preemptive strike against Israel, according to Channel 12.

Security officials and opposition figures have urged Zamir to oppose an attack before the election unless there is a pressing military necessity, the network reported.

The latest report didn’t come as a surprise as dozens of Israeli aircraft were spotted over Syria and Iraq in recent days. The stunt demonstrates, however, that Israel is planning to reignite the war, and while Trump has managed to stop Netanyahu for now, he will likely join him in another attack against the Islamic Republic after the midterm elections.

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• On October 20, an oil tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile about 30 nautical miles southeast of Al Faw, Iraq;
• On October 21, an unidentified projectile struck a tanker about 11 nautical miles west of Bukha, Oman.

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Footage released by the Houthis (Ansar Allah) on October 21 appeared to show the wreckage of two Turkish-made STM Kargu loitering munitions in the central Yemeni province of Marib, highlighting Ankara’s growing involvement in the conflict as it prepares to expand military support for Saudi Arabia.

The footage, released by Houthi military media, showed what the movement described as attacks on concentrations of Saudi-aligned forces and the destruction of several military vehicles east of Ragwan district.

The wreckage of two Kargu loitering munitions which were shot down by Houthi fighters during the fighting is seen in the footage.

The Kargu is a compact, electrically powered multirotor loitering munition developed by Turkish defense company STM. The drone has an operational range of approximately 10 kilometers and can remain airborne for less than 30 minutes, according to the manufacturer. Its takeoff weight, including its payload, is about 7.7 kilograms.

Equipped with electro-optical and infrared cameras, the loitering munition can operate during the day and at night. It can carry anti-personnel or armor-piercing warheads and is designed to identify and engage stationary or moving targets autonomously.

The appearance of the Turkish-made loitering munition in Marib comes amid mounting evidence of Ankara’s expanding military support for Riyadh.

Earlier this month, Reuters reported, citing a United States official, that Turkey’s assistance to Saudi Arabia included air defense support, drone operators, logistical assistance, and intelligence and surveillance capabilities.

Turkey has maintained that its support is defensive, but its potential military role is moving closer to formal military deployment.

On October 20, Ankara submitted the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to parliament for ratification. The agreement, signed in August, treats an armed attack on one member as an attack on all three.

A ruling Justice and Development Party lawmaker told Reuters the next day that Turkey would submit a separate mandate authorizing the deployment of military personnel to Saudi Arabia once parliament approves the agreement. The initial deployment would focus on technical personnel and specialists supporting air defense, electronic warfare and other defensive capabilities, the lawmaker said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has ruled out using the agreement to send troops abroad to carry out offensive attacks.

The Kargu wreckage does not establish whether Turkish personnel operated the loitering munitions, or whether the systems were supplied to Saudi forces or their Yemeni allies. But their reported presence on the battlefield points to a deepening Turkish involvement.

As Turkey expands its military support, it risks becoming increasingly integrated into Saudi military operations against the Houthis. Even if Turkish troops remain stationed in Saudi Arabia and Ankara continues to describe its mission as defensive, the support could facilitate operations inside Yemen.

As the conflict escalates, the distinction between protecting Saudi territory and becoming an active participant in the Yemen war could become increasingly difficult to maintain.

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A Syrian military delegation has held talks in Saudi Arabia on arrangements to transfer as many as 10,000 Syrian fighters to participate in the war against Yemen’s Houthis (Ansar Allah), Lebanon’s Al-Akhbar newspaper reported on October 20, citing Yemeni intelligence sources.

The reported discussions come despite denials by Syria’s transitional government that Damascus intends to send thousands of fighters to southern Saudi Arabia. The alleged deployment could extend Syria’s involvement in a regional conflict that has intensified in recent weeks.

According to Al-Akhbar, the delegation included Brig. Gen. Khaled Khattab, commander of the 82nd Division in Syria’s new army and a former leader of the al-Qaeda-affiliated Ansar al-Tawhid faction, and Brig. Gen. Haitham al-Ali, also known as Abu Muslim, commander of the army’s 3rd Corps and a former leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

Yemeni intelligence sources told the newspaper that Khattab spent four days in the southern Saudi provinces of Asir and Najran, accompanied by Saudi officers, visiting sites reportedly being prepared to receive the Syrian fighters.

Al-Ali, meanwhile, held meetings with Saudi officers at the Defense Ministry in Riyadh to discuss transportation costs, financial arrangements, additional benefits and the military missions the contingent would carry out.

The sources said the visiting team had completed preparations for the logistical transfer of the fighters, but the report did not establish when a deployment might take place.

Al-Akhbar also cited sources aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government based in Aden as saying that dozens of Syrian trainers specializing in drone operations were already present at military camps in Asir and several locations in Yemen. These reportedly included facilities near Seiyun in Hadramout province, the al-Khasha camp in Hadramout and the al-Anad military base.

The sources said the trainers were instructing members of the Saudi-backed Homeland Shield forces and Giants Brigades. The sources also alleged that Syrian drone operators had established units within Saudi Arabia’s Emergency Forces in Asir and in the al-Wadiah and Sharurah areas.

The report further raised the possibility that foreign fighters could be transferred alongside Syrians. Al-Akhbar cited Syria’s Sham TV as reporting that Khattab was responsible for assembling foreign recruits for deployment to Yemen.

According to the broadcaster, prospective recruits were being offered generous salaries, free pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina, and the possibility of relocating their families to Yemen after a period of what it described as “stability.”

Al-Akhbar cited analysts specializing in political Islam who said fighters from the Syrian army’s 84th Division, which reportedly includes foreign Islamist fighters, could also be transferred. The newspaper said the contingent could include Uyghurs, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Afghans, Chechens, Albanians and Arabs of various nationalities.

The report suggested that relocating foreign fighters could serve Damascus’ interest in reducing the security burden posed by foreign armed groups while consolidating control over the new military establishment. It also cited concerns among observers in Sanaa that transferring such fighters to Yemen could deepen sectarian divisions and prolong the conflict.

A military source in Sanaa told Al-Akhbar that any Syrian involvement in the war against the Houthis Yemen “would not be official.”

“Sending masses of extremists is an intelligence operation that governments do not acknowledge, because it conflicts with international law,” the source said, arguing that the use of foreign armed groups would amount to covert intervention.

The source also accused the United States, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia of supporting the deployment and training of armed groups in Syria during the campaign against former President Bashar Assad, drawing a connection to their current regional cooperation.

The newspaper’s report comes as Saudi Arabia seeks to strengthen its military position against the Houthis, who have continued attacks on Saudi targets while advancing on fronts in Yemen. However, it remains unclear whether the reported Syrian arrangements will result in an actual deployment or whether the scale of the proposed force could be achieved.

Syria’s fractured and under-equipped military is unlikely to change the course of the war in Yemen. Still, participation could carry profound consequences for Damascus, exposing it to retaliation by Iran and its regional allies, undermining the new government’s promise to keep Syria out of foreign conflicts, and threatening the country’s fragile economic recovery.

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Click to see full-size image. (Rostec)

Russia’s state-owned Rostec corporation is developing a new generation of attack drones designed to fly farther, faster and with greater autonomy, building on its Dan-T loitering munition, which the company says has capabilities comparable to cruise missiles.

“As technology advances, the distinction between a drone, a cruise missile, and a loitering munition is disappearing. The Dan-T is already a full-fledged cruise missile in terms of its capabilities. The Rostec State Corporation is working to advance this field, and several other comparable projects are underway. These systems are becoming increasingly intelligent – all of them feature elements of artificial intelligence to one degree or another.

The next models, which we will be able to present as early as next year, will fly farther, faster, and will be considerably more advanced in terms of intelligence,” Rostec said in a video presentation of its latest Dan-T loitering munition on October 21.

The corporation presented the munition at the El Alamein International Airshow 2026 in Egypt, saying further models could be unveiled next year.

The Dan-T has a reported range of up to 450 kilometers and weighs up to 270 kilograms. Powered by a compact turbojet engine, it is designed to operate autonomously after release from its carrier.

The munition is designed to approach targets at speeds of up to 500 kilometers per hour while following the terrain and using a low-observable flight profile intended to reduce the risk of interception by air defense systems.

It can be deployed from Russian-designed warplanes, including the Yak-130 and MiG-29 jets and the Mi-28N and Mi-8 helicopters. Rostec also said the system can be integrated with foreign combat aircraft.

The Dan-T’s effectiveness had been demonstrated in hundreds of successful launches against targets during the Russian special military operation in Ukraine.

Russia plans to produce up to 2,000 Dan-T munitions by the end of 2026 and increase output to as many as 14,000 next, according to recent Ukrainian media reports.

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Yemen’s Houthis (Ansar Allah) released footage October 20 showing Rujum drones striking Saudi military positions along the border with the kingdom’s Jizan and Asir provinces.

The video showed the drones targeting troops, barracks and vehicles. The group described the attacks as the first use of Rujum drones on those border fronts. It said surveillance enabled coordinated strikes on multiple locations simultaneously.

The Rujum is a modified version of the Chinese-made YD6-1000S hexacopter bomber drone featuring a 44-minute flight time and a 2 kg payload capacity, adapted to deploy munitions such as 60 mm mortars.

Houthi military media said the strikes destroyed main battle tanks, weapons depots and rear-area supply centers, and breached Saudi defensive barriers.

Reports of Saudi troops killed near the Yemen border or inside Yemen have circulated more frequently in recent weeks. No official overall toll has been published.

The Houthis also have stepped up operations along the border. Earlier this week, the group shot down a Saudi AH-6i light attack helicopter near Najran, killing both crew members. Despite the release of footage confirming the helicopter was hit, the kingdom said the aircraft crashed because of a technical malfunction.

The escalation along the Yemen-Saudi border could be a prelude to a large-scale Houthi incursion into the kingdom in the near term.

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