Archive · 8 Aug 2026
Houthis Strike Marib as UN Warns Yemen Nears Wider Conflict
In Yemen, there has been a war for a very long time.
The Houthis are a group that took over the capital city, Sanaa, in 2014.
Saudi Arabia and other countries have been helping the government fight back since 2015.
Recently, the Houthis shot missiles and sent drones at a city called Marib.
They hit places where families who lost their homes were staying.
Two people died and 14 other people were hurt.
The day before, at least 30 soldiers were killed in the provinces of Marib and Hadramawt.
A peace helper from the United Nations, Hans Grundberg, said Yemen might fall back into a big war.
He asked everyone to stop fighting and talk about peace instead.
Houthi forces launched ballistic missiles and drones at displacement camps and residential neighbourhoods in Marib on Friday, killing two people and wounding 14, according to state news agency SABA.
At least 30 Yemeni government troops were killed a day earlier in strikes on military camps in Marib and Hadramawt provinces, according to government sources.
The Houthis said they targeted Saudi-backed forces, depots, vehicles and military equipment at the Sahn al-Jinn camp with missiles and drones.
UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg warned that the attacks, along with renewed strikes on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, left Yemen at its greatest risk of renewed large-scale conflict since the April 2022 UN-brokered truce.
The Houthis declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea last month over an alleged Saudi siege of Yemen, an allegation Riyadh denies.
- Who
- Iran-aligned Houthi forces, Yemeni government troops, the Saudi-backed coalition, and UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg.
- What
- Houthis launched missiles and drones at displacement camps and residential areas in Marib, killing two and wounding 14, a day after strikes reportedly killed at least 30 government troops; the UN warned Yemen faces its greatest risk of renewed large-scale conflict since 2022.
- When
- Friday, August 7, with the Houthis also claiming responsibility for Thursday's attacks.
- Where
- Marib and Hadramawt provinces in Yemen, with renewed attacks on commercial shipping also reported in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
- Why
- The escalation follows what the Houthis described as a large Saudi military buildup, and came as the UN warned the violence risked drawing Yemen into a wider regional confrontation.
Houthi View
Saudi-led Coalition View
Marib and Hadramawt strikes
Houthi View
The Houthis say they struck Saudi military deployments, depots, vehicles and equipment at the Sahn al-Jinn camp after detecting what they described as a large Saudi military buildup ahead of an escalation against areas under their control.
Saudi-led Coalition View
Government sources report the strikes hit military camps and killed at least 30 Yemeni government troops, while Friday's attacks hit displacement camps and residential neighbourhoods; Reuters could not independently verify either side's claims.
Naval blockade and 'siege' allegations
Houthi View
The Houthis declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea last month in response to what they describe as a Saudi siege of Yemen.
Saudi-led Coalition View
Saudi Arabia denies the allegation of a siege and continues to lead the coalition backing Yemen's internationally recognised government.
- Friday attack casualties
- 2 killed, 14 wounded in Marib
- Previous day deaths
- At least 30 Yemeni government troops killed, per government sources
- Targets
- Displacement camps and residential neighbourhoods in Marib; military camps in Marib and Hadramawt provinces
- Houthi claims
- Struck Saudi-backed forces, depots, vehicles and military equipment at the Sahn al-Jinn camp with missiles and drones
- UN warning
- Greatest risk of renewed large-scale conflict since the U.N.-brokered April 2022 truce
- Naval blockade
- Houthis declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea last month; Riyadh denies the 'siege' allegation
- Saudi coalition
- Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition backing Yemen's internationally recognised government since 2015
- Background
- Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014