Attacks on military camps mark one of the deadliest escalations between the Iran-aligned group and government forces since 2022, with independent reports citing higher casualties.
Yemen’s military has said ballistic missiles and explosive drones struck camps in the central and eastern provinces of Marib and Hadramawt, killing 17 soldiers and one officer. Independent sources and medical officials have reported a higher death toll, with figures ranging from at least 30 to more than 50, in what officials described as one of the fiercest military escalations in Yemen in years.
Dozens Killed in Houthi Assault on Military Camps:
According to a statement from the Yemeni Ministry of Defence, the attacks took place at around 10:40 local time on Thursday. Ballistic missiles and drones hit several military positions, including camps belonging to the Emergency Forces and other government-aligned units in the al-Ruwaik area of Marib and the al-Abr, al-Thaniyah and al-Wadiah areas of Hadramawt, near the border with Saudi Arabia.
The ministry said the strikes targeted personnel while they were carrying out duties to secure liberated areas and international roads. It described the assault as a “treacherous attack” by the Houthi group and vowed that the armed forces would respond “at the appropriate time and place.”
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed responsibility in a televised statement. He said the group had launched a “large-scale” operation using ballistic missiles and drones against what he described as Saudi-backed troop concentrations and military camps. Saree asserted that the attacks caused “hundreds” of casualties among government forces and destroyed buildings, weapons depots and vehicles. He framed the strikes as a pre-emptive response to an alleged Saudi military build-up aimed at escalating against Houthi-controlled areas.
Government and medical sources have rejected the higher Houthi casualty claims. Yemeni military sources told news agencies that at least 30 soldiers were killed and others wounded, with some reports citing medical officials putting the death toll at 38 or higher. One military source said a missile struck troops during a morning formation in Marib, contributing to significant losses. The exact figure remains unverified amid the fluid reporting from the remote sites.
Houthi Drone Strikes Raise Fears of Wider Yemen Conflict:
Yemen’s health minister ordered medical facilities in Marib and Hadramawt to prepare for an influx of wounded soldiers and condemned the attacks as intended to undermine security and stability. The United States Mission to Yemen expressed condolences to the families of those killed, describing the strikes as “yet another example” of what it called Houthi terrorism against the Yemeni people.
The assaults come amid a fragile and uneven calm that has largely held in Yemen since a United Nations-brokered truce collapsed at the end of 2022. Fighting between the Iran-aligned Houthis, who control much of the northwest including the capital Sanaa, and the internationally recognised government backed by a Saudi-led coalition has intensified in recent weeks. Marib, an oil- and gas-rich province that has long been a strategic front line, and neighbouring Hadramawt have seen intermittent clashes and security operations against smuggling networks.
The latest strikes risk reigniting broader hostilities in a conflict that has already killed hundreds of thousands of people and left millions facing acute humanitarian needs, according to United Nations estimates. Both sides have previously accused each other of violating understandings aimed at preventing a return to full-scale war.
As casualty figures continue to be assessed and both parties issue statements, the incident has raised concerns among regional and international observers about a possible wider escalation that could draw in neighbouring states and further complicate efforts to stabilise Yemen.