Houthi missiles hit Yemen training camp in Shabwa, killing at least 18 recruits

At least 18 people were killed and more than 30 wounded on Monday, 19 October, when Houthi forces fired three ballistic missiles at the al-Alam military training camp in Yemen’s Shabwa governorate during a training exercise, Yemeni officials and medical sources told Al Jazeera. The deputy governor of Shabwa said there were about 40 casualties in total, without breaking down the dead and wounded.

Where and how the attack unfolded

A spokesperson for Yemeni government forces said the missiles struck a training centre for security and police recruits in the Jardan district of Shabwa, Anadolu Agency reported. The camp housed new recruits undergoing training before joining the security forces. Rashad al-Alimi, head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, said those killed were new recruits and promised a “firm response”. He accused the Houthis of resorting to “terrorist attacks when under pressure”.

Houthi claim and wider fighting

Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Sanaa said the Houthis claimed responsibility, describing the target as a “Saudi-backed” military base and saying they would continue to strike sites with a Saudi-backed military presence. The attack comes as fighting has intensified since the Houthis seized strategic territory along the Red Sea coast last month. Government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, have launched a counteroffensive and the “Dawn of Yemen” operation aimed at reclaiming Houthi-held territory, including the capital Sanaa, which the Iran-aligned group seized in 2014.

Context

Yemen has been at war since 2014. Earlier on Monday, government forces said they had targeted Houthi gatherings, vehicles and weapons south of Taiz, a city facing fuel shortages and soaring prices. There was no immediate independent verification of the casualty figures beyond the official and medical sources cited by Al Jazeera and Anadolu.