Houthis claim three ballistic missile strikes on Saudi troop concentrations in Yemen

*The group alleges casualties, destruction of military vehicles in attacks on Lahj province

The group has fought forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government and has repeatedly announced military operations against opposing forces.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree has claimed that the group launched three ballistic missiles at troop concentrations in the Ras Al-Arah and Al-Madaribah areas of Yemen’s Lahj province, alleging that the attacks caused numerous casualties and destroyed military vehicles.

Saree made the claim while announcing the group’s military operations in the area. However, independent confirmation of the reported strikes, the number of casualties and the extent of the damage was not immediately available.

According to the spokesman, the missiles targeted concentrations of troops in the two locations within Lahj province, an area in southern Yemen that has been affected by the country’s prolonged conflict.

The alleged operation represents another reported escalation in the use of missile capabilities by the Houthi movement, which has been involved in Yemen’s conflict for years.

The Houthis, formally known as Ansar Allah, are an armed political and religious movement that controls Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and significant portions of the country’s north and west. The group has fought forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government and has repeatedly announced military operations against opposing forces.

Yemen’s conflict, which escalated significantly in 2014 when Houthi fighters seized Sanaa, has involved multiple domestic and international actors. Years of fighting have weakened state institutions, displaced millions of people and contributed to a severe humanitarian crisis.

Lahj province, located north of the southern port city of Aden, occupies a strategically important position in southern Yemen. Its location and connections to areas controlled by different armed factions have made it relevant to the wider conflict.

Although Saree claimed that the three ballistic missiles inflicted substantial losses, no independently verified figures were provided regarding the number of people killed or injured. The identities of the troops allegedly targeted and the military vehicles reportedly destroyed were also not independently established.

There was no independently confirmed assessment of the physical damage caused by the alleged strikes at the time of reporting.

The claims therefore remain unverified, and further information from local authorities, the forces allegedly targeted or independent monitoring organisations would be needed to establish the full circumstances surrounding the reported operation.