Houthi attacks kill dozens of troops in Yemen, wound civilians in Saudi Arabia

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched a series of missile and drone attacks on Thursday, resulting in the deaths of at least 58 government troops, according to a military source. The attacks, which also injured several civilians in Saudi Arabia, represent one of the deadliest days of Yemen's civil war in recent years. The rebels claim they are retaliating for an alleged Saudi-backed military buildup.

Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree stated that the attacks targeted government positions with ballistic missiles and drones in response to the buildup. The military source indicated that the assaults on troop camps were the worst since 2022. The attacks extended beyond Yemen's borders, with Saudi officials reporting that the rebels wounded 11 civilians in the southern Najran region.

Saudi Arabia, a key US ally, has been leading a military coalition supporting Yemen's government against the Houthis since 2015. The rebels have escalated their provocations against Saudi Arabia, increasing tensions in the region following the US-Iran war's inception on February 28. A military official revealed that attacks occurred at camps in the al-Ruwaik area of Marib province and in Al-Abr and Al-Wadiah areas of Hadramawt, near Saudi Arabia.

One missile hit troops during a morning formation in Marib, killing and wounding at least 45 personnel. Houthi military spokesman Saree warned that the rebels are prepared to confront any escalation. Yemen, already embroiled in a more than decade-long civil war, further descended into regional conflict when the Houthi rebels violated a 2022 truce by welcoming an Iranian plane directly into Sanaa, the capital.

Subsequently, they imposed a maritime blockade on Saudi ports and targeted its tankers. Last month, Houthi rebels killed 16 troops in an attack on government-aligned forces south of Hodeidah port. The Houthis have been in conflict with the government since 2014, a war that has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and a severe humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

The rebels currently control Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and much of the northern region, while the government maintains control over the southern part. The conflict had been largely frozen since a UN-negotiated truce in 2022, despite the truce's expiration.