Fears of Full-Scale War Mount as Yemeni Government and Houthis Trade Heavy Attacks

Fears of a return to full-scale war in Yemen are mounting as government forces and Houthi rebels exchange a heavy barrage of attacks across the country.

Government spokesperson Majed Abdullah al-Nuzaili announced on Thursday that government forces carried out 81 attacks on Houthi positions over the past 24 hours, resulting in the "neutralisation" of several Houthi fighters and field commanders.

Meanwhile, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya ⁠Saree stated that the group launched two drone attacks on Thursday targeting Saudi Arabia’s Najran province, which borders Yemen. Saree claimed the drones successfully hit a target at Najran airport and an Aramco facility, though Saudi Arabia has not yet confirmed the strikes.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a supporter of the Houthis, warned on Thursday that Saudi Arabia would be "unable to contain" the rebels as they escalate their assaults on the kingdom. Since declaring a naval blockade in July, the Houthis have repeatedly targeted Saudi infrastructure and shipping.

Yemen’s internationally recognised government, based in Aden, has also accused the Houthis of attempting to impose a blockade on Yemen and halting the nation's oil exports. Fighting has intensified over the past month, with the government launching hundreds of operations resulting in numerous casualties among Houthi fighters.

While exchanges of fire and drone attacks have been reported along nearly the entire frozen front line, neither side has yet launched large-scale offensive operations. However, both factions have targeted civilian infrastructure far behind the front lines, including ports and airports.

The conflict initially began in 2014 when the Houthis seized much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa, prompting a years-long war involving the government and a Saudi-led international coalition. Although a UN-brokered truce in 2022 largely halted the fighting, Thursday’s attacks indicate a rapid descent back into major conflict.

The United Nations reports that at least 18 million people in Yemen currently lack reliable access to sufficient food. On Monday, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk called on both warring parties to "spare the Yemeni people from further misery" and immediately stop any actions threatening a return to full-scale war.

Additionally, the United Kingdom’s maritime security monitor reported on Thursday that a tanker off the coast of Yemen was boarded by six armed individuals and diverted toward Somalia.