HODEIDAH, Yemen- At least 14 Yemeni government soldiers have been killed in an attack by Iran-backed Houthi rebels near the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, according to a military official aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
The official told AFP that pro-government forces repelled the assault in Hays district, south of Hodeidah, after several hours of fighting that began at dawn on Saturday.
“The clashes lasted for several hours at dawn on Saturday,” the official said, adding that the battle left 14 government troops dead.
He also claimed the Houthis suffered casualties during the fighting but did not provide figures.
Renewed Fighting
The latest violence highlights the fragile security situation in Yemen despite a United Nations-brokered truce agreed in 2022, which significantly reduced large-scale fighting between the two sides.
Although the ceasefire has largely held, sporadic clashes continue in several front-line areas as both sides maintain military positions.
The Houthis control the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen, including the strategic port city of Hodeidah on the Red Sea coast. The internationally recognised government, backed by Saudi Arabia, controls large parts of southern Yemen.
Regional Tensions
The attack comes amid renewed regional tensions involving the Houthis and Saudi Arabia.
On Friday, the rebel group threatened to target Saudi airports and other critical infrastructure, accusing Riyadh of preventing an Iranian aircraft from landing.
Saudi Arabia has been a principal supporter of Yemen’s internationally recognised government since leading a military coalition that intervened in the conflict in 2015.
Humanitarian Crisis
Yemen’s civil war, which began after the Houthis seized control of Sanaa, has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives directly and indirectly while triggering one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Years of conflict have displaced millions of people, devastated the country’s economy, and left large sections of the population dependent on humanitarian assistance.