Escalation in Yemen: Houthi Attacks Lead to High Casualties

CAIRO — On Thursday, Iran-backed Houthi rebels carried out significant attacks in central and eastern Yemen. These assaults resulted in the deaths of at least 30 government troops and injuries to 50 more, according to Yemeni government officials.

A leader of the Houthi faction claimed that their operations targeted Saudi-backed troops, suggesting that ‘hundreds’ were killed or wounded in the strikes. The attacks specifically hit military camps affiliated with the internationally recognized government in the Marib and Hadramout provinces. Officials, prioritizing anonymity, disclosed these details due to restrictions on media communications.

This escalation marks a significant shift after a de facto truce reached in April 2022. The truce had effectively paused major conflicts between the Houthis and a Saudi-led coalition, which supports the recognized Yemeni government.

Publicly, Yemen’s army confirmed the attacks resulted in casualties but refrained from providing exact numbers. Meanwhile, Houthi Brigadier General Yahya Saree asserted that the assaults were conducted using ballistic missiles and drones. He claimed they were a counter-action to the increasing presence of Saudi-backed forces in the region.

The strikes reportedly demolished military infrastructure, including camps, depots, vehicles, and weapons, causing numerous casualties among what Saree described as ‘Saudi enemy mercenaries.’

General Saree urged the Yemeni populace to stay alert and counteract any further Saudi aggression, issuing calls to target Saudi troop concentrations wherever possible.

The U.S. mission to Yemen extended condolences to the bereaved families in Hadramout and Marib. Through a statement on X, it condemned the attacks, labeling them another instance of Houthi ‘terrorism against the Yemeni people.’

Since 2014, Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war initiated when the Houthis took control of Sanaa, prompting the legitimate government to seek refuge in Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015, aiming to reinstate the recognized government. However, the ongoing struggle has devolved into a deadlocked proxy war with no clear victor.

Recent Houthi activities, including a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, are portrayed as responses to Saudi-imposed air and sea blockades on Yemen since 2015.