Yemen’s Houthis launch ballistic missile attacks on al-Makha and Marib | Houthis News
Yemen’s Armed Forces Report Continued Houthi Attacks Amid Escalating Conflict
AL-MAKHA, Yemen (AP) — The armed forces of Yemen’s internationally recognized government have accused Houthi rebels of launching a new series of ballistic missile strikes on the port city of al-Makha, as well as residential areas in the central city of Marib. The attacks on Monday have not been reported to have resulted in casualties.
These strikes come a day after Houthi missiles hit al-Makha, also known as Mocha, killing at least seven individuals and injuring 30. The missile assault caused significant damage to the city’s port.
In a separate incident, a Houthi drone strike in the south-central province of Shabwa led to the deaths of two Yemeni government soldiers, with seven others wounded, according to local media reports.
Yemeni forces confirmed via social media that they targeted Houthi positions in eastern al-Jawf, northwestern Saada province, and the al-Tibas area of central Marib.
The recent clashes signal a major escalation in Yemen’s civil war, described as some of the deadliest in recent years. The escalating violence has been attributed to the broader regional tensions following a U.S.-Israeli operation against Iran launched at the end of February.
Since capturing Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in September 2014, the Iran-backed Houthis have been engaged in a protracted conflict with a Saudi-led coalition, which intervened in March 2015 to support the Yemeni government.
This prolonged conflict has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and devolved into a stalemate. While a truce brokered by the United Nations in April 2022 had reduced fighting, tensions reignited on July 13 following a Saudi airstrike on Sanaa airport that blocked a high-ranking Houthi delegation from landing.
In retaliation, the Houthis struck Abha airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia and imposed a blockade on Saudi shipping in the Red Sea, leading to further disruptions in the global economy. The Saudi-led coalition has responded with strikes on Houthi-held areas including Hodeidah and Kamaran, while bolstering Yemeni forces for a potential ground offensive.
In light of the escalating violence, the United Nations has called for restraint. UN envoy Hans Grundberg emphasized that Yemen faces a heightened risk of large-scale conflict, threatening the fragile gains achieved during the 2022 truce and potentially drawing the nation into a broader regional confrontation with dire consequences for its civilians.
