HOUTHI MISSILE AND DRONE ATTACKS KILL DOZENS OF YEMENI TROOPS

Houthi forces attacked military camps across Yemen on Thursday using ballistic missiles and drones, killing between 30 and 38 government troops and wounding 15 to 29 others, according to reports from military and medical sources. One report attributed to the Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the strikes caused "hundreds" of casualties, a figure not corroborated by other sources. Military sources said the attacks struck camps in al-Ruwaik in Marib province and al-Thaniyah and al-Abr in Hadramout province near the Saudi border, hitting formations including the Homeland Shield Forces, the Emergency Forces and the First Military Region. One missile struck troops during morning formation at a military camp in al-Ruwaik, killing and wounding at least 45 personnel according to one account.

The Houthis stated the attacks were in retaliation for "Saudi-backed military buildup" in Yemen. Yahya Saree said the group remained "prepared to confront any escalation". Yemen's defence ministry condemned the strikes and said its armed forces would "respond to the missile and drone attacks at the appropriate place and time". The attacks represent the deadliest assault on government forces since a United Nations-brokered truce in 2022, military officials said. Fighting has intensified in recent weeks after four years of relative calm, with the Houthis announcing an end to the de-escalation phase on 12 July and subsequently declaring a maritime blockade of Saudi ports.

The escalation follows the broader intensification of the US-Iran confrontation, with the Houthis stepping up military operations since the outbreak of conflict earlier this year. The US embassy in Yemen described Thursday's attacks as "cowardly". Military sources noted that casualty numbers were expected to rise, and that the high toll was partly because troops had gathered for a morning training exercise at the time of the strikes.