Houthis Intensify Military Operations in Yemen Despite Int’l Peace Efforts

Yemen’s Houthi group on Sunday escalated military operations targeting several areas controlled by the country’s government, according to a government official. The attacks have further exacerbated the yearslong conflict, despite recent international efforts to broker a peace deal. The Houthis have focused their attacks on strategic targets, particularly in the oil-rich provinces of Shabwa and Marib in the past 48 hours. The Yemeni official revealed that the Houthi’s continued military operations in these provinces show their ambition to expand their control over Yemen and its resources.

During the past hours, the government forces have been fighting fiercely to hold their ground in the Harib district of Marib, while the Houthi rebels have been pushing hard to take control of the area, according to the official. Yemen’s defense minister and other government officials narrowly escaped a drone attack carried out by the Houthis against their convoy on Saturday.

The recent Houthi attacks on the Yemeni government-controlled areas and military officials have dealt a serious blow to the international diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing violence and promoting peace in Yemen. The Yemeni government warned of a possible return to all-out military conflict in the war-ravaged country following the uptick in Houthi attacks in Marib. Yemen has been embroiled in a devastating civil war since 2014, with the Iran-backed Houthis fighting against the internationally recognized government and its allies.