The Houthi movement launched a violent wave of missile and drone attacks targeting Yemen’s contested city of Marib and the strategic Red Sea port city of al-Makha, according to reports from Al Jazeera and Anadolu Agency. The overnight bombardment resulted in multiple fatalities and left numerous civilians injured, deepening the humanitarian crisis in the war-torn nation. Officials confirmed that port operations in al-Makha were suspended following persistent strikes that hit both the outskirts and primary transportation routes within the coastal hub.
Marib’s government media office reported that six ballistic missiles and four drones struck civilian neighborhoods on Saturday evening, causing widespread structural damage and injuring four residents. According to state media and the director of the al-Makha airport, the combined assaults across different provinces killed four people and wounded eight others. The sudden surge in hostilities shatters a relative lull in fighting that had persisted since April 2022, reminding international observers of the fragile nature of stability in the region.
In response to the offensive, the internationally recognized Yemeni military announced it had executed 181 separate operations against Houthi positions across multiple governorates over the weekend. Military spokespersons claimed the retaliatory strikes killed and wounded dozens of insurgent fighters. While the Houthis acknowledged the deaths of four members, they declined to provide further details regarding the extent of their casualties. Clashes have sharply intensified across several provinces, including al-Jawf, al-Dhalea, and Taiz, reversing months of diplomatic calm.
The ongoing conflict began nearly twelve years ago when the Houthis seized control of the capital city, Sanaa, and surrounding territories. Earlier this month, a deadly strike on military camps in Marib and Hadramout claimed the lives of at least thirty government soldiers, marking the single deadliest episode of violence in recent years. As fighting spreads and diplomatic efforts stall, international organizations have renewed calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities to protect vulnerable civilian populations caught in the crossfire.
