Yemen fighting intensifies as government and Houthis trade attacks

Yemen's conflict has intensified sharply, with government forces saying they carried out 81 attacks on Houthi positions in the past 24 hours. The Houthis, meanwhile, said they launched drone strikes on two targets in Saudi Arabia's Najran province, including Najran airport and an Aramco facility. The exchanges mark one of the clearest signs in months that the country's long-running war may be moving back toward wider confrontation.

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Government spokesperson Majed Abdullah al-Nuzaili said the strikes led to the "neutralisation" of a number of Houthi fighters and field commanders. The Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said the group "successfully" hit the two Saudi targets on Thursday. There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi authorities of the reported attacks, and the claims could not be independently verified from the supplied material.

The latest violence comes after a month in which fighting has reportedly intensified across nearly the entire frozen front line. The government says it has carried out hundreds of operations against the Houthis, while both sides have reported missile and drone strikes on civilian infrastructure deep behind front lines, including ports and airports. The renewed exchanges are significant because they suggest the relative calm that followed the 2022 truce is under growing strain.

The conflict in Yemen has been shaped by a wider regional struggle since the Houthis overran much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa, in 2014. That takeover triggered years of war between the Houthis and the internationally recognised government, which is based in Aden and has been backed by a Saudi-led coalition. A United Nations-brokered truce in 2022 largely reduced fighting, but the current escalation indicates that the ceasefire framework is under increasing pressure.

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The Houthis have repeatedly targeted Saudi infrastructure and shipping since declaring a naval blockade on the kingdom in July, according to the supplied report. The government has also accused the group of trying to impose a blockade on Yemen and of disrupting the country's oil exports. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran, which supports the Houthis, warned on Thursday that Saudi Arabia would be "unable to contain" the group as attacks increase.

What remains unclear is whether the current exchanges are isolated strikes or the start of a broader offensive by either side. The supplied material says no large-scale offensive operations have yet been reported, despite the rise in attacks and counterattacks. The next developments to watch are whether Saudi Arabia confirms any damage, whether the pace of strikes continues, and whether diplomatic efforts can prevent a return to full-scale war.

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