War tensions return to Yemen as Houthi attacks kill 30 soldiers

International Desk. PNN

At least 30 soldiers have been killed and another 15 injured in missile and drone attacks by the Houthis targeting military facilities belonging to Yemen’s government forces. The attacks, carried out on Thursday in the Marib and Hadramout regions, are being viewed as among the largest Houthi attacks on government forces in several years.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed that more than 100 people were killed or injured in the attacks and that several military camps and weapons depots had been destroyed. He said the attacks were carried out after information was received about major Saudi military activities and were intended to confront possible escalation.

However, the larger casualty figures provided by the Houthis could not be independently verified.

The conflict in Yemen intensified after the Houthis seized the capital Sana’a in 2014. The following year, a Saudi-led coalition launched a military campaign in support of Yemen’s internationally recognised government. Although major fighting declined considerably following a UN-backed truce in 2022, a lasting peace has not been established between the two sides.

Analysts fear that the latest attacks could cause the unstable situation to erupt once again. In particular, attacks on government military facilities in Marib and Hadramout could push Yemen’s long-stalled conflict back toward active warfare.

International crisis analyst Ahmed Nagi said that as a result of the Houthis’ repeated attacks, the risk of a full-scale war is no longer a distant possibility. Each new attack is further narrowing the space for restraint between the two sides.

Fresh tensions have emerged around Marib, an important province in north-central Yemen. Reports of deadly clashes along the front lines have emerged in recent days.

Researcher Adel Dashela said control of Marib is strategically important for the Houthis. There are concerns that the region’s oil and gas resources could become the focus of a major military campaign in the future.

He said that if the current situation continues, the possibility of ground warfare between government forces and the Houthis will increase. If such a war begins, the violence could become even more severe than in the previous conflict.

The Houthis have already stated that they will not accept any Saudi-backed military presence inside Yemen. They have also warned that they will take action against any “hostile activity” as part of what they describe as their right to defend their security and sovereignty.

Alongside Yemen’s internal tensions, the Houthis’ recent activities have complicated the regional security situation. Their recent actions involving Saudi facilities and shipping in the Red Sea have further increased military tensions in the Middle East.

Analysts say that if attacks inside Yemen and across borders continue simultaneously, the conflict could once again take on a regional dimension. This could affect commercial shipping routes, energy supplies and the security of neighbouring countries.

The Yemeni government and Saudi Arabia have so far attempted to maintain relatively restrained positions. However, following the latest Houthi attacks, questions have arisen over how long that strategy can remain effective.

According to analysts, as military tensions increase, pressure on both sides to take retaliatory measures will also grow. Whether the situation progresses from limited military operations to full-scale war will depend largely on developments over the next few days.

For ordinary Yemenis, the renewed threat of war is also a major source of concern. After years of conflict, many people in the country continue to face insecurity, food shortages and livelihood crises. As a result, humanitarian conditions could deteriorate further if the conflict intensifies again.