Civil War in Yemen: Pro-Iran Houthi Group Attacks Army, 16 Killed

Armed conflict in Yemen has flared up again, killing at least 16 government soldiers in a massive assault launched by the Houthi group in Hodeidah governorate. The bloody incident, confirmed by local officials and medical teams, is the fiercest clash to occur in recent years.

Fierce fighting erupted in the Jabal Dabbas area along Yemen’s western coast. Military sources stated that Houthi militias launched a surprise attack on Friday night and managed to seize government defensive positions, before pro-government forces mounted a counter-offensive to reclaim their posts on Saturday morning.

Medical sources reported that hospitals along the Red Sea coast received the bodies of 16 pro-government soldiers and treated 22 wounded. The majority of the fatalities were from the Tihama region and were serving on the front lines.

A military officer from the government forces described the attack as the Houthis’ deadliest operation in years, noting that the militia deployed snipers who were primarily responsible for the soldiers’ deaths, before bombarding the defensive positions with drones and mortars.

‘This is the deadliest Houthi attack in years,’ the pro-government officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to address the media.

Despite the multi-pronged assault, another military official confirmed that government forces ultimately repelled the Houthi attack after several hours of intense fighting. The military confirmed that the Houthi group also suffered significant losses, although the exact number of militia casualties was not detailed.

‘The soldiers died defending their land and honour,’ wrote Walid al-Qudaimi, a minister of state and member of the internationally recognised Yemeni cabinet, on his official X account.

The Houthi group has been waging an armed insurgency against the legitimate, internationally recognised government of Yemen since 2015. The rebel group currently controls the capital Sanaa and most of northern Yemen, including the strategic port city of Hodeidah. The Yemeni government was forced to relocate its operational centre to Aden and maintains control over much of the south. Front lines had largely been frozen since a UN-brokered ceasefire agreement in 2022, but sporadic escalations of violence continue to occur along maritime and land borders. This latest deadly clash came shortly after the Houthis issued an open threat to attack airports and vital facilities in Saudi Arabia, the main backer of the Yemeni government.