In brief
On a recent morning, three ballistic missiles fired by the Iran‑backed Houthis struck the Martyr Ahmed al‑Sulaimani Training Centre in Shabwa, destroying the facility that housed recruits for Yemen’s internal security forces. Local authorities report 53 deaths and more than 200 injuries, with hospitals overwhelmed and casualties transferred to neighbouring provinces. The attack is being condemned as a war crime by Yemen’s information minister, who says the centre was a civilian training site rather than a military target. The incident follows a wave of Saudi‑led air strikes, which the Houthis deny targeting; instead, they claim the missiles hit a gathering of “Saudi enemy” forces. This surge of violence comes as the conflict in Yemen flares up again, threatening to destabilise a region already fragmented by years of warfare.
More than 50 security personnel were killed and 200 injured in a Houthi missile strike on a training camp in Shabwa, Yemen, local authorities say.
A spokesman for the Saudi‑backed Yemeni armed forces said the Iran‑backed group launched three ballistic missiles at al‑Alam camp near Ataq city, a training centre for recruits to the security forces and police.
Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council head, Rashad al‑Alimi, condemned the attack as a criminal act and vowed a firm response.
The Houthis’ military spokesman claimed the missiles targeted "Saudi enemy concentrations"; no immediate comments came from Saudi authorities.
The conflict, which erupted in 2014 when the Houthis ousted the government, has escalated again as pro‑government forces launch major offensives with Saudi air support to recapture territory held by the Houthis.
The latest strike is one of the deadliest reported since the recent escalation began, with hospitals in Shabwa overwhelmed and casualties being transferred to Aden and Hadramout.
The information minister labelled the attack a war crime, arguing the training centre was not a legitimate military target and accusing the Houthis of fabricating false media victories.
In the broader context, the Houthi‑run media reports Saudi strikes killing 10 people in Saada province, and the Saudi health ministry notes at least 19 casualties in recent Houthi attacks on its airports.
The civil war has devastated Yemen, with over 1,200 deaths reported by the government since early August and a recent maritime embargo by the Houthis prompting retaliatory drone and missile attacks on Saudi infrastructure.
