Sixty dead in Houthi missile strike on Yemen military camp

Sixty people died when ballistic missiles hit a military training camp in southern Yemen, marking the deadliest single attack in months of renewed fighting. Three officials confirmed the rising death toll on Tuesday, adding that at least a dozen people remain missing a day after the strike.

What Happened

Monday's attack targeted the al-Alam training camp in Shabwa province while new recruits lined up for a training session. Three ballistic missiles struck the facility, which sits in the Jardan district north of the provincial capital Ataq. More than 200 other recruits suffered injuries in the blast, with several in life-threatening condition and transferred to hospitals elsewhere. Local officials noted that at least 15 of the slain recruits belonged to a single Yemeni tribe, while Shabwa Governor Awad Ibn al-Wazir stated the victims were non-offensive security recruits rather than frontline combatants. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack.

Context

The strike forms part of a wider escalation that shattered a 2022 ceasefire after government forces and a Saudi-led coalition launched airstrikes in July. Shabwa and neighboring provinces hold critical oil and gas reserves that sustain the internationally recognized government. The conflict in Yemen began in 2014 when Houthi rebels seized the capital Sanaa, drawing in a regional coalition the following year and creating a severe humanitarian crisis.