Yemen has witnessed increased violence following a deadly incident in which at least 30 Yemeni government troops died during strikes on military camps in Marib and Hadramawt provinces. This surge marks one of the most lethal escalations in several months.
On Friday, the Iran-aligned Houthis launched ballistic missiles and drones targeting displacement camps and residential areas in Marib. These attacks resulted in the deaths of two individuals and injuries to 14 others, as reported by the state news agency SABA, citing local authorities.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for targeting Saudi-backed forces, depots, vehicles, and military assets at the Sahn al-Jinn camp using missiles and drones. However, Reuters reported that these claims couldn’t be independently verified.
The assaults on Marib followed Thursday’s attacks, which the Houthis also claimed as their work. They stated that they attacked Saudi military positions in Marib and Hadramawt due to what they described as a significant Saudi military buildup, signaling an escalation against Houthi-controlled areas.
U.N. Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, expressed concern about these latest attacks, noting that they pose the greatest risk of a large-scale conflict since the U.N.-brokered truce in April 2022. He called for all parties to exercise restraint and participate in U.N.-mediated negotiations, emphasizing that the violence could draw Yemen deeper into a regional conflict.
Last month, the Houthis imposed a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea in retaliation for what they termed a Saudi siege of Yemen, a claim Saudi Arabia denies.
Since 2015, Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition in support of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, following the Houthis’ capture of the capital, Sanaa, in 2014. The ongoing war in Yemen has resulted in severe devastation and has contributed to one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.