Houthi Militia Launches Ballistic Missile Attack on Yemen's Interim Capital Aden

The Houthi militia launched a ballistic missile attack on Aden, Yemen's interim capital, on Friday, according to Maged Al-Nazili, spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces. The attack is considered a terrorist act targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, threatening the security and safety of residents. This act represents a serious escalation for which the Houthi militia bears full responsibility for its consequences.

This attack comes as the Houthi militia has been suffering losses in combat zones and, as is their usual practice, redirects their terrorism towards civilians, cities, and vital installations. This is a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and its customary rules, proving that the militia's terrorism targets all Yemenis across the country's geography. The attack reveals the falsehood of their claims and misleading slogans.

The Yemeni Armed Forces' spokesperson emphasized that they will continue to perform their duties, protect citizens and state institutions, and proceed with Operation "Dawn of Yemen". They will take necessary operational measures to deal firmly with threat sources according to international humanitarian law and rules of engagement. The armed forces assert that these attacks will not achieve their goals and will not deter them from their national tasks.

The Houthis have repeatedly targeted the city of Aden since the renewed fighting in July, following a truce that lasted since 2022. In the past few hours, the Yemeni Armed Forces have carried out 943 raids and targeting operations, including 18 airstrikes, 21 drone strikes, 27 rocket attacks, and 877 field artillery strikes. These operations targeted Houthi militia positions, fortifications, and gatherings of their elements and vehicles in several combat zones.

The operations resulted in the neutralization of 221 Houthi leaders and elements, either killed or wounded, and the destruction or disablement of 73 military vehicles, equipment, and heavy machinery used for military engineering. The airstrikes also caused damage to Houthi sites and fortifications. These developments are part of a renewed military escalation between government forces and the Houthis since July, which has resulted in around 10,000 casualties, according to UN reports.

The escalation has ended the relative calm that Yemen experienced since April 2022, and the humanitarian crisis has continued to worsen due to ongoing confrontations and displacement. Yemen has been embroiled in a war since the Houthis seized control of the capital Sana'a and other provinces in September 2014, before a Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in March 2015 to support the Yemeni government.

The ongoing conflict has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence. The international community has called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, but efforts so far have yielded little progress. The situation on the ground remains volatile, with frequent clashes and missile attacks reported in various parts of the country.

Key points

• The Houthi militia's ballistic missile attack on Aden is considered a terrorist act targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure.
• The Yemeni Armed Forces have carried out 943 raids and targeting operations in the past few hours, resulting in significant losses for the Houthi militia.
• The renewed military escalation has resulted in around 10,000 casualties and worsened the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.