Houthi Missile Strike Kills 53 Yemeni Soldiers in Shabwa Camp

Iran-backed Houthi rebels struck Yemeni government forces with ballistic missiles on Monday, killing at least 53 soldiers at a military camp in Shabwa province.

The attack wounded an additional 200 recruits at the al-Alam military camp in the southern province. The provincial government in Shabwa stated the death toll is preliminary and may rise. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree confirmed on X that the group targeted the camp, claiming it was run by Saudi forces. Local authority sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Houthis launched three ballistic missiles at security forces during a training exercise.

The recruits were receiving training to be part of internal security forces. One Yemeni military official said the missiles struck while recruits were lining up in formation for a training session. This attack marks one of the deadliest since a resurgence in fighting this summer, and the largest single loss of life since the civil war reignited in September.

The fighting between the Houthis and Yemen's Saudi-backed government forces is a widening front in the Iran war that began in February. The escalation shattered a 2022 ceasefire deal that largely stopped fighting in Yemen's civil war. The Houthis have displayed growing military capabilities, repeatedly striking Saudi Arabia's main international airport and seizing territory near a key shipping chokepoint.

Iran and its allies in Lebanon and Iraq provide expertise, training, and sophisticated weapons to the Houthis, according to U.N. and other experts. Iran denies arming the Houthis. Rashad al-Alimi, the president of the U.N.-recognized government, vowed an immediate hard response, stating the attack reflects the Houthis' cowardly terrorist attacks whenever they face pressures. Shabwa is an energy-rich province overlooking the Gulf of Aden and houses the Balhaf liquefied natural gas facility.

Government forces launched a campaign this month to recapture Houthi-held areas near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Houthis are besieging Taiz, the last major urban stronghold of anti-Houthi forces in Yemen's southern highlands.