Yemen’s internationally recognised government says its forces carried out 81 attacks on Houthi positions in the past 24 hours, while the Houthis claimed two drone strikes in Saudi Arabia’s Najran province. The exchanges are the latest sign that Yemen may be moving back towards full-scale war, although neither side has reported a large-scale offensive operation.
Government spokesperson Majed Abdullah al-Nuzaili said the attacks led to the “neutralisation” of Houthi fighters and field commanders. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group hit a target at Najran airport and an Aramco facility; Saudi Arabia had not immediately confirmed those claims.
What the sides reported
The Houthi attacks took place in Najran, which lies just across the border from Yemen. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which supports the Houthis, warned that Saudi Arabia would be “unable to contain” the group as attacks on the kingdom increase.
The Houthis have repeatedly targeted Saudi infrastructure and shipping since declaring a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in July. Yemen’s government has accused the Houthis of trying to impose a blockade on Yemen and stopping the country’s oil exports.
Related coverage: Yemen’s government escalates attacks as clashes spread across fronts.
How the conflict reached this point
Fighting has intensified over the past month, with the government reporting hundreds of operations against the Houthis and the deaths of many Houthi fighters. Exchanges of fire and drone attacks have been reported across nearly the entire frozen front line.
Both sides have also reported missile and drone strikes on civilian infrastructure, including ports and airports, in areas far behind the front lines. However, no large-scale offensive operation has yet been reported by either side.
Why the escalation matters
The Houthis overran much of Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa, in 2014. Years of conflict followed between the group and the government, which was backed by a Saudi-led international coalition.
More context: Government drones challenge Houthi battlefield advantage in Yemen.
A United Nations-brokered truce agreed by the government and the Houthis in 2022 largely halted fighting. The latest attacks indicate that the pause is under severe strain, but the supplied reports describe a risk of renewed full-scale conflict rather than a confirmed return to it.
At least 18 million people in Yemen do not have reliable access to enough food, according to the United Nations. On Monday, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk urged both sides to stop actions that could return the country to full-scale conflict and to spare civilians from further misery.
Other reported security incident
The United Kingdom’s maritime security monitor reported on Thursday that six armed people boarded a tanker off Yemen’s coast and diverted it towards Somalia. The supplied information does not identify the vessel or report injuries.
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