Houthi attacks reportedly kill at least 30 Yemeni forces

At least 30 Yemeni government troops are reported to have been killed in Houthi rebel attacks on military camps in central Yemen. Sources said missiles and drones struck several camps run by the Emergency Forces in the al-Ruwaik area of Marib province and the al-Abr area of Hadramawt.

What happened in the attacks?

Sources said missiles and drones struck several camps run by the Emergency Forces in the al-Ruwaik area of Marib province and the al-Abr area of Hadramawt. The Houthis claimed they had targeted

large Saudi military build-ups

at the camps.

Health Minister Qasim Bahibah condemned the

treacherous

attack, saying it was intended to destabilise security and stability. He did not provide a death toll.

How have the parties responded?

A spokesman for the Houthis, who control much of north-west Yemen and are backed by Iran, said they had targeted

large Saudi military build-ups

preparing for an offensive. A Saudi-led coalition has supported the government during the country's civil war.

There was no immediate comment from the coalition or the Saudi government. The US mission to Yemen said the Houthis' attacks were

cowardly

and another example of what it called

their terrorism against the Yemeni people

.

Why is the conflict significant?

Yemen has been devastated by a civil war that began in 2014, when the Houthis ousted the government from Sanaa, the capital. The conflict escalated in 2015, after the Saudi-led coalition of Arab states intervened in an attempt to restore the government's rule.

The fighting has reportedly left more than 150,000 people dead and triggered one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with more than 22 million people in need of some form of aid, according to the UN.

What is the latest escalation?

The conflict between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia had been largely dormant since an informal truce took effect in 2022. However, there has been a significant escalation in recent weeks, with the Houthis announcing a

maritime embargo

against Saudi Arabia and carrying out a series of missile and drone attacks on Saudi airports, oil facilities, and tankers in the Red Sea.

The Houthis have said they are retaliating for a Saudi blockade of ports and airports in the territory they control, as well as an air strike on Sanaa airport that they blamed on the kingdom despite a claim from the Yemeni government.

Key Facts

• At least 30 Yemeni government troops are reported to have been killed.
• Attacks hit Emergency Forces camps in al-Ruwaik in Marib province and al-Abr in Hadramawt.
• The Houthis said they targeted

  large Saudi military build-ups

  .
• The US mission to Yemen called the attacks

  cowardly

  and

  their terrorism against the Yemeni people

  .
• The war began in 2014 and has reportedly killed more than 150,000 people, with more than 22 million needing aid.