Houthi attacks on Yemen's Marib kill five, raising fears of new war
At least five people were killed in Yemen's Marib province on Friday as Houthi rebels escalated attacks on the oil-rich region, according to officials and military sources. The violence came a day after the deadliest incident involving the two sides in years, raising concerns of a return to full-scale conflict in the Arabian Peninsula's poorest country.
A Yemeni military source told AFP that a Houthi drone strike killed three members of government forces in the Harib area, south of Marib city. Separately, Health Minister Qasim Buhaibeh said rebel shelling of residential neighbourhoods and displacement camps in Marib city killed at least two civilians and wounded 14 others. In a post on X, he attributed the attack to the "terrorist Houthi militia".
The Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility for Friday's attacks. However, on Thursday they said they had targeted several sites in response to a Saudi-backed build-up of government forces. That day, missiles and drones killed at least 58 government troops, mainly in Marib, according to an army source, marking one of the deadliest episodes since the war began.
Marib province holds strategic significance because it controls access to Yemen's main oil and gas fields. The province is divided between Houthi-controlled areas and government-held territory, which includes Marib city and its oil facilities. In 2021, the Houthis launched an offensive to capture the province, but the fighting largely subsided after a nationwide truce was agreed in April 2022.
That truce began to unravel last month when the Houthis, who are backed by Iran, escalated their actions in response to regional tensions. The rebels welcomed an Iranian plane directly to Sanaa, the capital they control, triggering a series of tit-for-tat attacks. They later announced a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia and began striking its tankers. Last month, they also killed 16 troops in an attack south of Hodeidah, according to medical officials.
A source close to the Saudi-led coalition, which has been supporting the Yemeni government since 2015, said the coalition would not stand "idly by" as the Houthis intensify attacks. The source called Marib a "red line" and warned that the coalition would not allow "the current balance of power on the ground to be changed". While acknowledging that the coalition does not seek escalation, the source added that Riyadh would not accept a Houthi takeover of Marib.
The United Nations has repeatedly urged all parties to exercise restraint and return to negotiations. The truce had brought a significant reduction in violence and allowed the resumption of commercial flights and fuel imports. Its collapse is a major setback for any political settlement that could end the decade-long war, which has pushed millions to the brink of famine.
The latest surge in violence has heightened fears that Yemen could descend into another full-scale war, with civilians bearing the brunt. Displacement camps in Marib, already sheltering thousands who fled previous fighting, are increasingly vulnerable to attacks.
