Yemen’s internationally recognised government says Houthi forces fired six ballistic missiles at the Red Sea port city of al-Makha, also known as Mocha, on Friday, killing at least four people.
The government’s armed forces said the missiles targeted civilian infrastructure and national assets at the port. Initial reports also said several fishing boats were set on fire, while a separate unnamed government military official was quoted as putting the death toll at at least eight, including two security personnel.
What the Houthis and government reported
The government described the attack as an assault on port facilities during a broader escalation between the Iran-aligned Houthis and Saudi-backed forces supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
The Houthis said they had targeted what they called buildups, weapons and warships belonging to Saudi-backed forces and “mercenaries” in al-Makha. The group said the strikes destroyed boats and weapons. The differing accounts had not produced a single confirmed casualty figure in the supplied reports.
Related coverage: New Houthi missile and drone attacks hit al-Makha.
Related claims involving Saudi Arabia
The Houthi-run SABA news agency separately reported that the group targeted an Aramco facility in Najran, Saudi Arabia, with a drone. It said the action followed what it described as Saudi military aircraft entering airspace over northeastern Saada governorate in Yemen.
The report did not identify the precise target or say whether it was hit. There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi authorities or Aramco.
Why the escalation matters
The reported attacks follow a rise in hostilities between the Houthis and Yemen’s internationally recognised government. The escalation is occurring amid heightened regional tensions linked to the US-Israel war on Iran, with the Houthis described in the source material as a key front in that conflict.
More context: Yemen says Houthi attack on Tihamah killed six.
The developments have raised the prospect of a return to large-scale conflict in Yemen. The supplied reports also said the Houthis claimed to have attacked an Aramco refinery in Saudi Arabia’s Jazan with two drones on Thursday.
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