A Houthi missile strike in Yemen has killed at least 58 people and injured more than 200 at a government security forces training camp in the southern province of Shabwa, local officials said on Monday. The strike on the Al-Alam camp is one of the deadliest single attacks since Yemen’s civil war flared up again earlier this year.
Three ballistic missiles struck the camp near the city of Ataq while recruits were lined up in formation for a training session, local authority sources said. Footage verified by Reuters showed wounded people and bloodied bodies scattered across the camp’s sandy ground.
Key Facts — What We Know
- At least 58 people were killed and more than 200 were injured in the Houthi missile strike in Yemen, according to Shabwa Governor Awad al-Wazir.
- At least 14 people remained missing in the aftermath of the bombardment.
- Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree confirmed the attack and claimed the camp was operated by Saudi forces. Saudi authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
- The camp trained new security recruits for duties in Shabwa province rather than for combat operations, the governor said.
- The strike is part of a widening escalation between the Houthis and Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which is backed by a Saudi-led coalition.
Deadliest Strike in Months
The Al-Alam camp attack ranks among the deadliest incidents reported since fighting intensified three months ago. Several of the wounded were in life-threatening condition and were transferred to hospitals in other provinces, a local official said.
At least 15 of the recruits killed belonged to a single Yemeni tribe, officials said. The dead were new recruits from across Shabwa being trained to provide security within the province, the governor told Al Arabiya television.
Escalation After the Houthi Missile Strike
Pro-government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, launched a major offensive this month to retake territory in western Yemen, regaining part of the Red Sea coast overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which Houthi fighters had seized in September. Fighting continues around the besieged city of Taiz and in Marib and al-Jawf provinces.
The Houthis have meanwhile fired missiles and drones at airports, energy facilities and military bases inside Saudi Arabia. On Monday the group said it had struck an Aramco site in Yanbu, the Shaybah oilfield, and the Riyadh and Abha airports — claims Saudi authorities did not immediately confirm. Amid the attacks, organizers postponed Saudi Arabia’s flagship “Davos in the Desert” investment conference to next year.
Wider Stakes for Energy and Trade
Shabwa is an energy-rich province on Yemen’s south-central coast overlooking the Gulf of Aden, home to the Balhaf liquefied natural gas facility, the country’s largest industrial investment. Nearby, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden — one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.
Monday’s attacks pushed Brent crude to nearly a five-month high above $110 a barrel and sent Gulf stock markets lower. More Middle East coverage is available on Watan News International.
