Houthi attack kills 14 to 16 Yemeni government soldiers near Hodeidah, the deadliest in years
Houthi rebels launched a fierce assault on pro-government positions south of Hodeidah, killing between 14 and 16 soldiers and wounding over 20 others. Government forces retook the sites by dawn after a counterattack.
The attack
Houthi rebels launched an assault on pro-government positions in the Hodeidah governorate late on Friday, 3 July. The fighting, concentrated in the Jabal Dabbas area south of the Red Sea port city, lasted several hours and continued into Saturday morning. Government forces initially lost ground but mounted a counterattack that retook the sites by dawn on 4 July.
They were killed defending their land and dignity.
Casualties and tactics
The death toll among government troops ranges from 14 to 16, according to different sources. Medical officials in Hodeidah reported receiving 16 bodies and 22 wounded, while a military officer in Hays put the figure at 14 killed and 23 injured. Walid al-Qudaimi, a minister of state, said at least 15 soldiers died. Houthi casualties were described as heavy: al-Qudaimi claimed more than 50 fighters were killed and dozens wounded, though the rebels have not commented.
An anonymous officer told AFP that Houthi snipers caused most of the government casualties before drones and mortar fire were used. He described the engagement as "the deadliest Houthi attack in years."
- Houthi fighters attack pro-government positions in the Jabal Dabbas/Hays area.
- Snipers inflict most casualties; drones and mortars follow.
- Houthis briefly seize positions.
- Government counterattack retakes all sites.
A frozen conflict
Yemen has been divided since 2015, when the Iran-backed Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and large parts of the north. The internationally recognised government, supported by a Saudi-led coalition, operates from Aden in the south. A UN-brokered truce in 2022 largely froze front lines, but sporadic violence has persisted. The latest fighting is the most intense breach of that lull.
Regional tensions
The attack came days after the Houthis threatened airports and key facilities in Saudi Arabia, which backs the Yemeni government. The escalation raises the risk of a wider flare-up along the Red Sea coast, a strategic waterway for global trade.
Humanitarian toll
The war has killed hundreds of thousands and triggered what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Yemen, the poorest country on the Arabian Peninsula, faces widespread hunger and disease. The 2022 truce brought a reduction in violence but no political settlement.
