Aden (South24 Center)

The Houthi militia launched two ballistic missiles targeting Al-Mudharaba and Ras Al-Ara District in Lahj Governorate, South Yemen, on Tuesday (November 10). One missile landed near a police headquarters, while the other struck the Khor Umairah area, amid escalating clashes between the Houthis, Southern Forces, and government-aligned forces along the border between Lahj and Taiz, near the strategic Bab Al-Mandeb Strait.

A local source told South24 Center that a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis landed near the Al-Mudharaba District police headquarters on Tuesday afternoon. Other local sources said the missile struck an uninhabited area near the building, causing no casualties.

In a second attack, a military source told South24 Center that another Houthi ballistic missile targeted the Khor Umairah area in the same district, confirming that no casualties were reported.

Later, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the attacks on Al-Mudharaba and Ras Al-Ara as part of four military operations the group said it had carried out using missiles and drones against targets in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

Saree claimed that the operation in Al-Mudharaba and Ras Al-Ara targeted gatherings of forces supervised by a Saudi officer and resulted in numerous casualties. However, he provided no independently verifiable evidence to support the figures, which differ from the initial information obtained by South24 Center about the two missile impact sites.

Clashes Along the Lahj-Taiz Border

The missile attacks came a day after intense fighting on the Al-Majzaa front in Al-Mudharaba District, where military sources told South24 Center on Monday (November 9) that clashes between Southern Forces and the Houthis were continuing.

On the same day, the Nation's Shield Forces (Der' Al-Watan) announced a large-scale offensive against Houthi positions on the Al-Muhawala front in Al-Mudharaba and Ras Al-Ara District, involving units from four brigades of the First Division.

The forces said they had recaptured military positions and fortifications and inflicted casualties and material losses on the Houthis as part of ongoing operations in the area.

Field sources reported that fighting extended to the Al-Shatt and Al-Majzaa areas and toward the Al-Maqatirah fronts, amid Houthi attempts to advance and threaten supply routes leading to Bab Al-Mandeb and Dhubab Military Airport.

Since early November, the area has witnessed repeated clashes along the Kahbub, Al-Muhawala, Al-Aghbirah, Al-Maqatirah, and Tur Al-Bahah fronts, accompanied by missile attacks and military movements by both sides.

These fronts are strategically important because they lie within the mountainous and coastal corridor linking Lahj and Taiz governorates, close to the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait, one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints.

The highlands surrounding Kahbub and Al-Maqatirah also overlook key routes and supply lines connecting inland areas to Yemen's western coast, making control of these positions an important factor in military movements and operations.

Clashes in early November saw the Houthis advance into some elevated positions, including Jabal Irf in Al-Maqatirah, according to military statements, before anti-Houthi forces announced counteroffensives to recapture lost territory.

Attacks on Civilian Facilities

The escalation in Al-Mudharaba and Ras Al-Ara has not been limited to military positions, as the district has also witnessed missile and drone attacks affecting residential areas and public facilities in recent weeks.

On November 1, a ballistic missile struck the Al-Suqya Health Center in Al-Mudharaba District, killing five people and injuring 15 others, according to an initial casualty toll announced by Yemen's Ministry of Public Health and Population.

The ministry said three medical workers were among those killed and seven others among the wounded, describing the attack as a violation of international rules protecting healthcare facilities and medical personnel.

During September, Al-Mudharaba and Ras Al-Ara also witnessed missile and drone attacks targeting markets, residential villages, and military positions, according to South24 Center's field monitoring.

The renewed missile attacks and expanding clashes along the Lahj-Taiz border reflect the continuing military struggle for control of strategic highlands and supply routes leading to Bab Al-Mandeb, as risks to civilians and infrastructure near the front lines continue to grow.