South24 Center (Aden)

Forces affiliated with Yemen’s internationally recognized government said on Sunday (August 16) that they had carried out 181 military operations over the previous 24 hours against Houthi positions and sources of fire across several frontlines, amid a sharp escalation in military activity across different parts of the country.

Colonel Majid Abdullah Al-Nazili, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense, said the operations were carried out using drones, artillery, and rocket launchers, targeting Houthi military positions, combat capabilities, and sources of fire along the frontlines.

According to Al-Nazili, the operations killed and wounded dozens of Houthi fighters and destroyed dozens of military vehicles and pieces of equipment, along with a number of weapons depots and other military assets.

South24 Center could not independently verify the casualty figures or the extent of the damage, while the military statement did not provide a detailed breakdown of the losses.

The operations covered a broad range of frontlines, including areas north of Taiz city, Al-Dhabab, and Maqbanah in Taiz Governorate, as well as fronts in Marib, Shabwa, Lahj, Al-Dhalea, Hodeidah, and Abyan. Government forces said the strikes focused on Houthi firing positions and capabilities used in attacks along the lines of contact.

Al-Nazili said government forces had the capability and readiness to reach and neutralize sources of threat in line with battlefield developments and directives from the political and military leadership. He added that the units carrying out the operations adhered to the rules of engagement and international humanitarian law and took the necessary precautions to protect civilians.

He also urged civilians to stay away from Houthi military sites, facilities, and gatherings.

The announcement came amid escalating clashes in Taiz and along the Western Coast. Government forces said on Sunday that artillery units targeted Houthi gatherings and reinforcements on the northern front of Taiz city, reporting deaths and injuries among the group’s fighters.

In the Red Sea city of Al-Mokha, military media affiliated with the National Resistance Forces said the Houthis launched six ballistic missiles and six drones toward the city on Sunday. The number of drones was later raised to seven after another drone exploded on the outskirts of Al-Mokha.

The forces said air defenses shot down two drones, while specialized teams were assessing the damage caused by the attacks.

Sunday’s attacks followed a series of Houthi strikes targeting Al-Mokha and its port over the previous week. The port suspended its commercial and maritime operations following a series of missile attacks, according to the port director.

A missile-and-drone attack on Al-Mokha on August 9 killed seven people, including four military personnel and three civilians, and injured 30 others, according to the Yemeni government.

The developments represent one of the most serious waves of escalation on Yemen’s internal frontlines since the unofficial truce that followed the UN-brokered ceasefire in 2022.

UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg warned the Security Council on August 13 that the country was facing its highest risk of a return to large-scale conflict since the 2022 truce, amid increased military activity and recent attacks in Marib, Hadramout, and Al-Mokha.