Missile attacks by Yemen's Houthi movement killed at least 30 soldiers aligned with the internationally recognised government and wounded 15 others in Hadramout and Marib, according to government sources. The strikes hit several military locations on August 6 and were described as the deadliest episode in the country's internal conflict for years.
Military sources said eight missiles were launched from al-Jawf governorate toward three locations: al-Rouk in Marib, plus al-Thiniya and al-Abr in Hadramout. Sites used by the Homeland Shield Forces, Emergency Forces and First Military Region were among those struck. Officials warned that the casualty count could increase.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said missiles and drones had caused hundreds of casualties, a substantially higher figure than the government account. That claim was not independently confirmed in the supplied reporting. The Yemeni military acknowledged the attacks and described them as retaliation for recent operations against Houthi forces.
One Emergency Forces account said personnel had gathered for a training activity when a camp was hit, contributing to the toll. The Saudi-backed Homeland Shield formation, created in 2022, operates near the Marib-Hadramout boundary and the Saudi frontier. Emergency Forces established under a presidential order in late 2025 also guard border areas and fronts facing Houthi territory.
The strikes followed several weeks of rising military activity after roughly four years of lower-intensity fighting. Both camps had moved forces, and clashes had occurred in western and central Yemen. Tension increased further after a dispute involving an Iranian aircraft and Sanaa airport, followed by attacks connected to Abha airport in Saudi Arabia.
The Houthis said their action answered what they called a buildup by Saudi-supported troops. Saree urged personnel serving with the government side to leave their positions. A Yemeni political official opposed to the Houthis accused the movement of perpetuating conflict and obstructing restoration of state authority.
The wider confrontation had also returned to regional waterways. The Houthis announced a maritime blockade aimed at Saudi Arabia in July and attacked Saudi-linked vessels in the Red Sea. The Saudi-led coalition then carried out its first strikes on Houthi targets in western Yemen since 2022.
The August 6 attacks did not amount to a formally announced new ground offensive, but their scale showed how quickly local mobilisations, cross-border tensions and maritime conflict could break the preceding lull. The conflicting casualty claims also underscored the need for caution as authorities assessed losses at the camps.
The United States embassy condemned the camp attacks and offered condolences to soldiers’ families. Separately, the Saudi-led coalition reported that projectiles injured 11 civilians in Najran, including a woman and child; the Houthis did not immediately claim that cross-border incident.
