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Yemen’s Government Forces Attack Houthis Amid Renewed Shelling of Marib

From Al Jazeera · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Yemen's government forces have launched counterattacks against Houthi positions across multiple front lines.
  • This escalation follows renewed Houthi shelling of Marib city and attacks on Hadramout province, which killed dozens of soldiers and civilians.
  • Experts warn of a looming possibility of Yemen tipping back into full-scale conflict, despite UN calls for de-escalation.

Yemen's government forces have initiated counterattacks against Houthi positions along several front lines, hours after the Houthi group resumed shelling the city of Marib. This significant military operation has intensified fears that a period of relative calm could shatter, potentially plunging the country back into wider conflict.

The civil war in Yemen never really technically ended.

— Elisabeth KendallA Middle East specialist commenting on the ongoing conflict and recent escalation.

A military spokesman stated that the Saturday attacks were aimed at Houthi "capabilities and forces" across "multiple axes and along the line of contact." The operation was framed as a necessary measure to "protect unarmed civilians." This move comes in direct response to Houthi missile and drone attacks on Thursday in Hadramout and Marib provinces, which resulted in the deaths of at least 30 government soldiers and wounded 15 others.

Deputy Information Minister Mohammed Gezan reported that the Houthis had "resumed shelling civilian neighborhoods in Marib city with missiles and drones." The renewed bombardment of Marib, a city currently sheltering over 2 million of Yemen's nearly 5 million displaced people, followed a Friday attack that killed two civilians and injured 14, according to the Yemeni Health Ministry. While the Houthis claimed they were targeting a military camp, the Yemeni army reported repelling a separate attack without casualties.

The Houthis have resumed shelling civilian neighbourhoods in Marib city with missiles and drones.

— Mohammed GezanYemen's Deputy Information Minister describing the Houthi attacks.

Al Jazeera's correspondent in Sanaa noted that this is the first time in months the government forces have announced a counteroffensive, positioning it as retaliation for the Houthis' shift towards preemptive strikes. The Houthis, conversely, allege that government forces are coordinating with Saudi Arabia on a broader offensive against Houthi-controlled territories. Elisabeth Kendall, a Middle East specialist, cautioned that the escalation carries a "looming possibility" of returning Yemen to full-scale conflict, pointing to recent troop movements and clashes as "all the warning signs."

all the warning signs are there

— Elisabeth KendallA Middle East specialist describing the current situation in Yemen.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Al Jazeera in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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