Yemen.. The UN envoy visited Tehran to reduce the escalation in Marib, and the government doubts his success

The UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg concluded a visit to Iran in which he met with senior Iranian officials and representatives of the international community in Tehran, in an attempt to settle the conflict in Yemen, while the Houthis continue their attacks on the city of Marib, the stronghold of the legitimate government.

During his meetings, Grundbehr stressed the need to support the efforts of the United Nations to reach a negotiated settlement of the conflict, and expressed his concern over the military escalation in Yemen.

He stressed the urgent need to reduce the escalation in all parts of the country, including Marib.

Grundberg said that peace and stability in Yemen is reflected in the entire region.

On the other hand, Yemeni government spokesman Rajeh Badi - in an interview with Al Jazeera - expressed his doubts about the success of the UN envoy's mission during his visit to Iran and his attempt to pressure the Houthis from there.

Attack on Marib

In the military context, local Yemeni sources told Al Jazeera that an explosion was heard in the city of Ma'rib, after a ballistic missile fired by the Ansar Allah Al-Houthi group fell on the city yesterday evening.

The sources added that the missile landed in a courtyard located between the presidential palace building in the city and a gathering of the displaced, and near the main hospital in the city.

Anadolu Agency quoted the local authorities in the city of Marib that the Houthis bombed the governorate center with a ballistic missile, and that the bombing targeted residential neighborhoods in the city of Marib, which is populated by residents and displaced people.

Local media also reported civilian casualties as a result of the missile strikes, without giving a specific number.

And last week, 13 civilians were killed by Houthi missile shelling on the Al-Juba district in the south of the province, then another shelling took place on Monday, killing and wounding 29 civilians, according to the Marib authorities.

The Iranian-backed Houthi group has recently intensified its missile attacks on the city of Ma'rib, in conjunction with the continuing battles between government forces - backed by the Saudi-Emirati coalition - and the group's militants on more than one frontline in the south and west of the province.

On the other hand, Saudi TV reported that the Saudi defenses had intercepted and destroyed a drone that tried to target the city of Jizan in the southwest of the Kingdom.