Houthis Kill 16 Government Troops in Yemen's Deadliest Clashes in Years
Reporting based primarily on yahoo.com.
Yemen's Houthi rebels killed 16 government-aligned troops in heavy fighting south of Hodeidah this weekend, one of the deadliest clashes in years, as a cargo ship came under attack in the nearby Red Sea.
Deadly Clashes Near Hodeidah
Houthi forces attacked pro-government positions late Friday, using snipers, drones and mortars. [1] They briefly seized positions before being driven out by a counterattack that ended at dawn Saturday. [1] Hospitals received 16 dead and 22 wounded from the government side. [1] An officer described it as the deadliest Houthi attack in years, with additional Houthi casualties reported but not quantified. [1] The attack on government forces was reported south of Hodeidah. [1] Two medical officials told AFP on Sunday that hospitals in the area received 16 dead and 22 wounded pro-government forces. [1] An officer with the government-aligned forces called it the "deadliest Houthi attack in years." [1] The officer said the Iran-backed Houthis briefly took control of pro-government positions in the clashes, which began late on Friday, before a counterattack to retake them concluded at dawn on Saturday. [1] He said the rebels had attacked with snipers, which accounted for most of the casualties, before launching drone and mortar salvos. [1] Another military official said the fighting resulted in "dead and wounded among (Houthi) ranks," but did not provide any numbers or other details. [1] The order follows deadly clashes in western Al Hudaydah province that left dozens dead and wounded on both sides. [2]
Red Sea Cargo Ship Attack
A bulk carrier was attacked 30 nautical miles southwest of Hodeidah by a skiff that opened fire. [1] Security guards returned fire, and the skiff retreated to a larger vessel with its AIS switched off. [1] The ship and crew were reported safe. [1] The UKMTO reported the maritime incident. [1] No group claimed responsibility, though the Houthis have previously attacked Red Sea shipping and recently threatened to resume such attacks. [1] A cargo ship came under attack Sunday off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea, the British military said, the latest maritime attack off the conflict-torn Arab country. [1] The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said the ship reported being "under attack by unknown armed assailants" 30 nautical miles southwest of Hodeida. [1] A skiff approached the bulk carrier and opened fire, forcing security guards to return fire, before sailing back to a larger ship about 2 nautical miles away with its automatic identification system switched off, the UKMTO said. [1] The cargo ship and crew were reported safe, the British military said, adding that authorities were investigating. [1] No group immediately claimed the attack. [1] The Houthis have threatened to begin attacking ships again. [1] A Houthi spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. [1] The rebels previously fired drones and missiles at ships that pass territory they control near the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea. [1] Their attacks during the Gaza war forced shipping companies to reroute vessels around the southern tip of Africa instead of through the Suez Canal at the northern end of the Red Sea. [1]
Context of Yemen's Long-Running War
The Houthi-government war, ongoing since 2015, has been largely frozen under a 2022 truce but flared anew as the rebels threatened Saudi-backed government assets. [1] The Houthis have been at war with the government since 2015 in a conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of people and triggered a major humanitarian crisis in Yemen. [1] The rebels control Yemen's capital Sanaa and much of the north, including Hodeidah on Yemen's western Red Sea coast, while the internationally-recognized government holds much of the south. [1] The fighting between the two sides has largely been frozen since a UN-negotiated truce in 2022. [1] But on Friday the Houthis threatened airports and vital assets belonging to Saudi Arabia, a key backer of Yemen's Aden-based government. [1] The rebel group, part of Iran's "axis of resistance" against Israel and the United States, accused the kingdom of trying to stop an Iranian plane from landing. [1]
Government Orders Maximum Readiness
Yemen's presidential council chief ordered government forces to maintain maximum readiness following the clashes. [2] Yemen’s presidential council chief orders government forces to maintain maximum readiness against Houthis. [2]
What to watch next: The Houthis have threatened to begin attacking ships again, and on Friday the Houthis threatened airports and vital assets belonging to Saudi Arabia. [1]
