Dozens Killed as Houthis Strike Yemeni Forces in Violent Escalation

At least 30 soldiers belonging to Yemen’s internationally recognised government have been killed following a series of coordinated missile and drone strikes launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The attacks, which struck military installations across the Hadramawt and Marib provinces, also left more than 50 service personnel injured, with officials warning that the death toll could rise further as emergency crews assess the wreckage.

Qatar-based news outlet Al Jazeera reported on Thursday, citing Yemeni government officials, that the strikes were aimed directly at government encampments and defensive positions. According to Yemeni military sources, the Houthis launched eight missiles from Al-Jawf province, located north of Marib. The bombardment targeted key positions including the Al-Thiniya and Al-Abr zones in Hadramawt, alongside the Al-Ruq region in Marib.

Acknowledging the heavy casualties, the Yemeni military described the Houthi assault as a direct retaliation against ongoing government operations against the rebel group. Meanwhile, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea claimed responsibility for the offensive, stating that the combined drone and missile strikes inflicted hundreds of casualties among enemy troops.

This major escalation marks a sudden end to four years of relative calm between the Iran-aligned Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces. Tensions have mounted rapidly in recent weeks across multiple fronts. Alongside ground engagements, the Houthis have announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, threatening and carrying out strikes on maritime vessels linked to Yemen’s northern neighbor.

Yemen has been engulfed in a ruinous civil conflict since late 2014, when Houthi forces seized the capital, Sanaa, effectively ousting the internationally recognized administration. The crisis deepened in 2015 when a Saudi-led coalition intervened militarily to restore the government. Despite years of intense aerial campaigns and ground battles, the coalition was unable to decisively defeat the Houthis, leaving the country fragmented into regions controlled by rival authorities. The recent flare-up in Marib—a strategic, oil-rich province long viewed as a crucial bastion for government forces—threatens to destabilise the fragile security balance that had halted full-scale combat operations since 2022.