MARIB, Yemen — Coordinated missile and drone strikes launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels killed at least 38 Yemeni government soldiers and wounded 29 others on Thursday, according to medical sources. The coordinated strikes mark one of the single deadliest days of casualties for government forces since a United Nations-brokered truce took effect in 2022.
Military sources reported that the strikes targeted several key installations, including a major military camp in the al-Ruwaik area of central Marib province, as well as bases in the Al-Abr and Al-Wadiah regions of Hadramawt province near the Saudi Arabian border.
One ballistic missile struck troops directly during their morning assembly at the Marib base, causing the vast majority of the casualties.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the operations, stating the rebels deployed ballistic missiles and drones in response to what he described as a buildup of Saudi-backed forces in the area.
Yemen’s Defense Ministry released a statement condemning the strikes and asserting that government forces would retaliate “at the appropriate place and time.”
The fatal strikes represent a sharp escalation in Yemen’s fragile security situation, breaking the relative calm that had largely held between the warring sides since 2022.–News Desk