Yemen: Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi-supported government troops, resulting in the deaths of dozens, according to medical sources. The attacks, occurring Thursday, have escalated the ongoing conflict in the region, intensifying the US-Iran war's influence in Yemen.
According to France24.com, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree stated that the assaults targeted government positions using ballistic missiles and drones. This aggressive move was reportedly in retaliation for a perceived military buildup supported by Saudi Arabia. Medical sources revealed that the attacks resulted in at least 38 fatalities among government forces, with 29 more injured. A military official described these incidents as the most lethal clashes between the two factions since 2022.
The defense ministry of Yemen's internationally recognized government issued a statement asserting that their armed forces would retaliate to these missile and drone strikes "at the appropriate place and time." The recent Houthi attacks threaten to plunge Yemen into a deeper cycle of violence and counterattacks.
The rebels have intensified provocations against Saudi Arabia since last month, compounding regional turmoil following the onset of the US-Iran conflict on February 28. A military official, speaking under anonymity, reported that a military camp in the al-Ruwaik area of Marib province was among the sites targeted, alongside camps in Hadramawt's Al-Abr and Al-Wadiah areas near the Saudi border. A missile strike during a morning formation at the Marib camp resulted in significant casualties.
Yemen, embroiled in over a decade of war, was drawn further into the Middle East conflict last month when the Houthi rebels shattered a 2022 truce with the Saudi-backed government. The rebels' actions, including welcoming an Iranian plane in the capital Sanaa and announcing a maritime blockade of Saudi ports, have fueled a series of retaliatory attacks.
Last month, the Houthis were responsible for the deaths of 16 troops in an assault on government-aligned forces near Hodeidah, according to medical officials. The ongoing conflict between the Houthis and the government, which began in 2014, has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and led to a severe humanitarian crisis. The rebels control Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, while the government holds much of the south. Despite a UN-negotiated truce in 2022, the fighting has reignited, threatening further instability in the region.
