Yemeni forces retaliate against Houthi attacks in Marib and Makha

Yemeni government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, struck back after the Houthis intensified attacks on government‑held areas, including Marib and the strategic port of Makha.

The new offensive comes as Yemen has been in a state of conflict since 2014, when the Houthi movement seized the capital and forced the internationally recognised government into exile. The Saudi‑led coalition has been fighting to restore the government. Marib has been the last major Houthi‑held province and the port of Makha is the main supply route for humanitarian aid. Any wider war would threaten the fragile ceasefire that had held since a 2023 agreement.

Last week, Houthi forces launched a barrage of rockets and drones at government positions in Marib and the Makha port, killing at least 15 soldiers and destroying two supply trucks, according to a government spokesperson. In response, Saudi Arabia launched a series of airstrikes that hit Houthi artillery positions and supply lines. The Houthis