Houthi Attacks Raise Fears Of Major New Battle In Yemen.
Fears of a major new battle in Yemen are growing after Iran-aligned Houthi forces launched a series of missile and drone attacks against Saudi-backed government positions, marking one of the most serious escalations in the country's conflict in years.
The attacks on Thursday targeted military camps and troop gatherings in the government-held provinces of Hadramout and Marib. Yemeni government sources said at least 30 soldiers were killed and 15 injured, with casualties potentially rising further. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the attacks were carried out after the group detected a large Saudi military mobilisation that it believed was preparing for a wider offensive against Houthi positions.
The Houthis have continued launching attacks in the area, with reports of additional missile strikes on Friday and government forces saying they had intercepted several Houthi drones over Marib. The latest violence has raised concerns that the fragile period of relative calm between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition could be coming to an end. Yemen has experienced a de facto truce for several years, but political negotiations have stalled while military tensions have gradually increased.
The escalation is also connected to the wider regional conflict involving Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United States. The Houthis have increasingly positioned themselves as part of Iran's regional network of allied armed groups, while Saudi Arabia continues to support Yemen's internationally recognised government.
Concerns have also grown over the safety of civilians. A separate Houthi strike on Marib reportedly killed at least two civilians and injured 14 others, according to Yemen's government. Authorities said residential areas and displacement camps were among the areas affected.
Saudi Arabia has also faced attacks from the Houthis in recent weeks. Saudi officials said a Houthi attack on the southern city of Najran injured 11 people, including a four-year-old child. The growing confrontation has raised concerns about the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, an important international shipping route connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Any sustained Houthi campaign against shipping could have consequences for global trade, energy supplies and freight costs.
The situation has also coincided with closer security cooperation between Saudi Arabia and its regional partners. Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye signed a joint defence agreement on Friday under which an attack on one member would be regarded as an attack on all three. Analysts say the combination of renewed fighting inside Yemen, attacks on Saudi Arabia and the wider confrontation involving Iran has created a highly volatile situation.
While it remains unclear whether the latest attacks will develop into a full-scale ground offensive, the intensity and geographic spread of the violence have increased fears that Yemen could once again become the scene of a major regional military confrontation.
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