In brief
Iran‑aligned Houthi rebels launched three ballistic missiles at al‑Alam camp in Shabwa, Yemen, killing at least 53 recruits and injuring over 200. The attack came amid renewed Saudi‑backed offensives aimed at reclaiming western Yemen. Yemeni officials condemned the strike as a war crime, while Houthi spokespersons claimed the target was a gathering of "Saudi enemy" officers. The incident underscores the worsening humanitarian crisis in Yemen as both sides exchange air and missile attacks.
Missile strike on Yemeni training camp kills 50 security recruits
More than 50 security personnel have been killed and 200 injured in a Houthi missile strike on a camp in Yemen's central province of Shabwa, local authorities say.
The Saudi‑backed Yemeni armed forces said the Iran‑backed group launched three ballistic missiles at al‑Alam camp near Ataq city, a training centre for recruits to the country's internal security forces.
Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council head Rashad al‑Alimi called the attack a criminal assault and promised a firm response. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said the missiles struck a gathering of “Saudi enemy” forces run by Saudi officers.
This blast marks one of the deadliest attacks since the recent escalation that began in early October when pro‑government forces launched a major offensive to reclaim western Yemen. The Saudi‑led coalition has supported air strikes that have laid siege to the government‑controlled city of Taiz and seized territory along the Bab al‑Mandab Strait.
Hospitals in Shabwa were overwhelmed and had to transfer critically wounded civilians to nearby Hadramout and Aden. According to the province's deputy governor, 53 recruits died and more than 200 were injured, with many in critical condition.
Information Minister Moammar al‑Eryani classified the strike as a war crime, arguing that a training centre is not a legitimate military target. He also accused the Houthis of attempting to feign victory and conceal defeats across multiple fronts.
In a separate incident, a Saudi air strike on a residential building in the north‑western province of Saada killed at least 10 people and wounded 23, including women and children, further inflaming the conflict. The Houthi‑run health ministry reported 141 deaths in Saudi strikes over the past seven weeks, while the Yemeni government cites at least 1,282 casualties since the escalation began on 6 August.
Yemen has suffered under a civil war that began in 2014 when the Houthis overthrew the central government. The war expanded after 2015 when a Saudi‑led coalition intervened to restore the internationally recognised administration. Recent months have seen a surge in both aerial and missile attacks, with the Houthis targeting flights, airports and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia.
