Yemen’s Houthi rebels have killed at least 30 government soldiers and injured 15 in missile attacks on military camps in the Hadramout and Marib governorates, government sources told Al Jazeera.
Thursday’s strikes on camps, including those operated by Yemen’s Emergency Forces, mark the deadliest escalation in years, signaling a sharp departure from the relative calm that has defined the conflict recently.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the coordinated missile and drone strikes resulted in “hundreds” of casualties. While the Yemeni military confirmed the attacks, they framed the strikes as a direct retaliation for their own recent offensive operations against Houthi positions.
Military sources reported that the Houthis launched eight missiles from the al-Jawf governorate, north of Marib, specifically targeting al-Thiniya and al-Abr in Hadramout, as well as al-Rouk in Marib. Officials cautioned that the casualty count is expected to rise.
The conflict between the pro-Iranian Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces has intensified significantly after four years of relative stability. Both sides have engaged in significant military build-ups, leading to clashes across western and central Yemen.
Tensions spiked a month ago when the Houthis alleged that an Iranian plane was prevented from landing at Sanaa airport. On July 13, the Yemeni government confirmed it struck the airport to block another Iranian aircraft. The Houthis retaliated by targeting Saudi Arabia’s Abha airport, an attack Riyadh stated was successfully intercepted.
On July 20, the Houthis announced a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia and began targeting Saudi-linked vessels in the Red Sea. These maritime attacks occur as regional instability disrupts energy exports. In response, the Saudi-led coalition launched its first strikes on Houthi targets in western Yemen since 2022.
The Houthis justify their blockade as a necessary response to the “Saudi siege” on territories under their control. Yemen’s war began in 2014 when the Houthis seized Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition intervention in 2015 that has struggled to secure a decisive victory.
Source: Aljazeera
