At least 18 people were killed and more than 30 wounded after Houthi forces fired three ballistic missiles at the al-AIam military camp in Yemen’s southern Shabwa governorate, according to Yemeni government officials and medical sources cited by Al Jazeera.
A spokesperson for Yemeni government forces said the missiles hit during a training exercise. Shabwa’s deputy governor put the total number of casualties at at least 40, without separating fatalities from injuries. Rashad al-Alimi, who heads the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, said those killed were new recruits and promised what he called a firm response.
The Houthi movement, also known as Ansar Allah, claimed responsibility, Al Jazeera reported. Its military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said sites hosting Saudi-backed military forces would be treated as legitimate targets, according to the broadcaster’s reporting from Sanaa.
The attack occurs during a renewed phase of Yemen’s conflict. Government forces and their Saudi backers have launched the Dawn of Yemen operation, aimed at retaking Houthi-held territory including the capital, Sanaa. The Houthis have held Sanaa since 2014.
The Shabwa strike adds to pressure on the government side as Houthi advances and missile attacks have disrupted key transport links, ports and other supply routes. A separate Al Jazeera analysis reported that Houthi gains around Taiz and on the Red Sea coast had complicated the movement of fuel, ammunition and reinforcements for pro-government forces.
The casualty figures and account of the strike have not been independently verified in the material reviewed.