Sanaa, Yemen – Houthi missiles and drones struck military locations inside Yemen on Thursday, leaving at least 30 government soldiers dead and 15 others injured in the first such attack in years. The strikes specifically targeted government military camps and troop gatherings in the Hadramout and Marib provinces, marking a significant escalation in the long-standing conflict between the Houthi movement and the internationally recognized government.
Yaya Saree, the Houthi military spokesperson, claimed in a broadcast statement that the attacks killed “hundreds” and “destroyed a large number of camps and depots.” He further alleged that the strikes were launched as a defensive measure after Houthi forces “detected a massive Saudi military mobilisation” that they perceived as an imminent threat of escalation.
The two sides have been locked in a brutal war since the Houthis and their allies captured the capital, Sanaa, in September 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in March 2015 on behalf of the government. While fierce fighting has largely subsided in recent years, there has been a notable consolidation of government and various southern forces since the United Arab Emirates withdrew its primary military presence from Yemen in 2025.
The Houthis are now on high alert for any further military developments, Saree stated, as pro-government forces appear to be preparing to retaliate for Thursday’s attacks. This development signals a potential renewal of Yemen’s largely dormant war, which had seen a period of relative calm following the UN-sponsored truce established in April 2022.
For those living in the capital, the shift in atmosphere is palpable. “We have repeatedly heard explosions over the past days in Sanaa,” one resident noted. “We watch the figures of deaths and injuries on the news, and it feels like the conflict is tightening its grip on us once again.”
Abdul Rahman Saleh, 34, who lives in Sanaa, said the war has now become tangible to the people living in Yemen. “It is no longer a potential threat. It has become a reality. Parties boast of their deadly attacks on their media outlets,” he told Al Jazeera. “It reminds us of the pre-2022 truce. Each party is hungry for revenge. As a civilian, I feel it would take a miracle to stop this war now.”
Fuad Mussed, a Yemeni researcher focusing on political and military affairs, believes the recent Houthi attacks on government military camps are proof that the group has shifted its strategic posture. “The Houthis’ message is clear: opting for escalation both inside Yemen and beyond,” Mussed told Al Jazeera. “As they expand their attacks internally, they continue targeting ships, demonstrating that the state of neither peace nor war has effectively ended.”
Ahmed Nagi, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, noted that the Houthis’ expansion of cross-border attacks on government forces means the threat of all-out war is rising. “Although there is still a chance for both sides to return to a policy of containment, the problem is that each new escalatory move makes that much more difficult. If this pattern continues, the indicators pointing toward renewed conflict are stronger than those pointing toward de-escalation.”
Yemeni political analyst Dashela suggested that while the Houthis may hold a tactical advantage in missile capabilities, the magnitude of violence would be catastrophic if a major war erupts. “Consequently, should such a war break out, it would not resemble previous conflicts; rather, it would be far bloodier,” Dashela warned, noting that the infrastructure of the country remains fragile.
Sheikh Othman Majali, a member of the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council, took a hardline stance, stating there can be no prospect of peace, security, or stability while the militia remains in power. “This can only be achieved by confronting and toppling the militia, and by halting the harm and evil it inflicts upon our people and our region,” Majali told the government-run media.
Despite the rhetoric, Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government have thus far prioritized de-escalation over a full-scale military response, despite some calibrated attacks against the group. Analysts observe that Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government still appear committed to a policy of containment, testing this political approach to its limits.
“Whether that means limited military action or a broader shift in strategy remains to be seen, but the room for continued restraint is becoming narrow,” Nagi added. As both sides express a desire for a decisive military battle, the Houthi group stated on Thursday that it would not “tolerate” any Saudi military presence inside Yemen’s borders, asserting a “legitimate right to confront any hostile moves that threaten its sovereignty and security.”
Houthi officials say the presence of any Saudi-linked Yemeni militias or military units outside the Sanaa authorities’ control is intolerable.
Today, control of the north-central province could be a life-and-death battle for the Houthis, Adel Dashela, a researcher at Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies, told Al Jazeera.
The Houthis’ gradual engagement in the regional war between the US and Israel against Iran, the group’s key ally, included an announcement of a naval blockade on Saudi ports and attacks in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait last month.
“Yemenis have been waiting for the Houthis and the Yemeni government to reach a peace deal or implement a peace roadmap for years.
“They have used the years-long peace talks to accumulate and create weapons nonstop.
This has made them prepared for confronting local adversaries and capable of launching attacks as far as Israel and Saudi Arabia.
It is not easy to persuade them to abandon the path to war.”
If this stance continues, it points to the powerlessness of the Yemeni government and Saudi Arabia, and this will rob them of popular trust,” Al-Huraibi argued.
That remains unclear, especially as they continue to strengthen their position by building alliances and reinforcing military units along the front lines.”