At least 58 security recruits were killed and over 200 injured after Iran-aligned Houthi forces launched three ballistic missiles at a government training camp in Yemen's southern Shabwa province on Monday the local officials confirmed.
The strikes targeted new security personnel undergoing a training exercise at the Al-Alam military camp. Shabwa Governor Awad al-Wazir reported that 14 people remain missing following the bombardment.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed responsibility on social media platform X, stating the group targeted what it characterized as a Saudi-backed base. He warned that any location hosting Saudi-backed forces would remain a target. In response Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council condemned the strike on new recruits and promised a firm retaliation.
The attack marks a sharp escalation in Yemen's protracted civil war, which has reignited following a period of relative calm under a 2022 truce. Violence surged after Houthis advanced toward key maritime routes near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, prompting Saudi-backed government forces to launch counteroffensives to reclaim lost territory.
The energy-rich Shabwa province hosts Yemen's largest industrial investment the Balhaf liquefied natural gas facility. The escalating conflict further worsens conditions in Yemen already suffering one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises.
