{"id":3995,"date":"2026-08-06T20:00:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T20:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/?p=3995"},"modified":"2026-08-06T20:00:03","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T20:00:03","slug":"houthi-rebels-kill-dozens-of-saudi-backed-yemeni-government-forces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/2026\/08\/06\/houthi-rebels-kill-dozens-of-saudi-backed-yemeni-government-forces\/","title":{"rendered":"Houthi rebels kill dozens of Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-tms-ad-status=\"idle\" data-tms-ad-container class=\"o-ad-container o-ad-container--banner-top o-ad-container--with-shimmer o-ad-container--with-background\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__content o-ad-container__content--report-enabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__label m-block-ad__label--report-enabled\">\n                    <span class=\"o-ad-container__label__text\">Advertising<\/span><br \/>\n                                            <button title=\"Report this ad\" class=\"o-ad-container__content__report-link\" data-tms-ad-report><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-ad-sponsoring\" data-tms-ad-type=\"sponsoring\" data-tms-ad-status=\"disabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-sponsoring__wrapper\">\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content t-content--article\" id=\"main-content\">\n<div class=\"t-content__above-sidebar\">\n<h1 class=\"t-content__title a-page-title\">Houthi rebels kill dozens of Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces<\/h1>\n<div class=\"m-master-tag\">\n<div class=\"a-tag-section\">\n                                    Middle East\n                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"t-content__chapo\">\n                                        At least 38 members of the Yemeni government forces were killed Thursday in drone and missile attacks carried out by Houthi rebels, according to medical sources. The Iran-backed Houthis claimed the attacks were in retaliation for what they described as a recent military buildup supported by Saudi Arabia.                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__with-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"t-content__beside-sidebar\" data-article-content>\n<div class=\"t-content__metadata\">\n<div class=\"t-content__dates\">\n<p class=\"m-pub-dates\"><span class=\"m-pub-dates__date\">Issued on: <time datetime=\"2026-08-06T19:58:27+00:00\">06\/08\/2026 &#8211; 21:58<\/time><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"a-reading-time\">\n    <span class=\"a-reading-time__icon\" title=\"Reading time\"><\/p>\n<p>    <\/span><br \/>\n    2 min    <span class=\"u-sr-only\">Reading time<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a-share-button\" data-root-share>\n<p>                            <span class=\"a-master-button__label\">Share<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__authors\">\n<div class=\"m-from-author\">\n                    <span class=\"m-from-author__by-label\"><br \/>\n                By:<br \/>\n            <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"m-author\">\n<div class=\"m-author__name\">\n                                                    <a href=\"\/en\/author\/france-24\/\" title=\"FRANCE 24\" class=\"m-author__name__title\"><br \/>\n                                FRANCE 24<br \/>\n                            <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__main-media\">\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--16x9 m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/e8132f9a-91ce-11f1-be6e-005056bfb2b6\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/000-C2MN3L4.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/e8132f9a-91ce-11f1-be6e-005056bfb2b6\/w:388\/p:16x9\/000-C2MN3L4.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/e8132f9a-91ce-11f1-be6e-005056bfb2b6\/w:720\/p:16x9\/000-C2MN3L4.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/e8132f9a-91ce-11f1-be6e-005056bfb2b6\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/000-C2MN3L4.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1076px) 100vw, 1012px\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" alt=\"Fighters supporting the Aden-based internationally-recognised Yemeni government gather during a vigil along the Red Sea shore in Khokha, in Yemen&apos;s western Hodeidah province on July 20, 2026.\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                A &#8220;technical&#8221; is pictured as fighters supporting the Aden-based internationally-recognised Yemeni government gather during a vigil along the Red Sea shore in Khokha, in Yemen&#8217;s western Hodeidah province on July 20, 2026.        \u00a9 Khaled Ziad, AFP    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__body u-clearfix\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/yemen\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Yemen<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/houthi-rebels\/\" target=\"_self\">&#8216;s Iran-backed Houthis<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/middle-east\/20260806-middle-east-live-israeli-military-says-two-soldiers-killed-in-southern-lebanon\" target=\"_self\">killed dozens of Saudi-supported government troops<\/a> in missile and drone attacks Thursday, medical sources said, as the country&#8217;s conflict <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/middle-east\/20260724-yemen-s-houthis-say-they-hit-saudi-arabia-as-trump-weighs-harder-iran-strikes\" target=\"_self\">becomes the latest front in the US-Iran war<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Houthi <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/military\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">military<\/a> spokesman Yahya Saree said the rebels attacked government positions with ballistic missiles and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/drones\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">drones<\/a> in response to an alleged military buildup backed by neighbouring <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/saudi-arabia\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Saudi Arabia<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"a-read-more\"><span class=\"a-read-more__label\">Read more<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/middle-east\/20260727-yemen-says-ready-for-houthi-escalation-after-rebels-target-saudi-arabia\" target=\"_self\" class=\"a-read-more__link\">Yemen says ready to escalate against Houthi rebels as they target Saudi Arabia<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The attacks killed at least 38 government troops and injured 29, two medical sources told AFP. A military official described them as the deadliest between the two sides since 2022.<\/p>\n<p>The defence ministry of Yemen&#8217;s internationally recognised government said in a statement that its armed forces would respond to the missile and drone attacks &#8220;at the appropriate place and time&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>The Houthi attacks risk pushing Yemen into a more intense cycle of violence and retaliation.<\/p>\n<h2>Sucked into war<\/h2>\n<p>The rebels have ramped up the provocations against their Saudi foes since last month, adding to the regional chaos since the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/iran-conflict\/\" target=\"_self\">US-Iran war<\/a> erupted on February 28.<\/p>\n<p>The military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP that a military camp in the al-Ruwaik area of Marib province, in central Yemen, had been attacked, as well as camps in the Al-Abr and Al-Wadiah areas of Hadramawt, near the border with Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n<p class=\"a-read-more\"><span class=\"a-read-more__label\">Read more<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/middle-east\/20260330-will-iranian-backed-yemen-houthis-rebels-block-the-bab-al-mandeb-strait\" target=\"_self\" class=\"a-read-more__link\">Bab al-Mandab strait: Iran\u2019s Houthi allies enter the conflict, raising fears over key trade route<\/a><\/p>\n<p>One missile attack hit troops during their morning formation at the camp in Marib, &#8220;killing and wounding at least 45 personnel&#8221;, said a military source, who declined to be named for security reasons.<\/p>\n<p>Saree named Al-Ruwaik, al-Thaniyah and al-Abr as being among the areas hit, warning the rebels were &#8220;prepared to confront any escalation&#8221;.<\/p>\n<h2>Tit-for-tat<\/h2>\n<p>Yemen, which has been embroiled in more than a decade of war, became sucked into the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/middle-east\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Middle East<\/a> war last month as the Tehran-backed Houthi rebels upended a 2022 truce with the Saudi-backed government.<\/p>\n<p>The rebels welcomed an Iranian plane directly in the capital Sanaa, triggering tit-for-tat attacks. They later announced a maritime blockade of Saudi ports and began hitting its tankers.<\/p>\n<p>Last month, the Houthis killed 16 troops in an attack on government-aligned forces south of the port city of Hodeidah, two medical officials told AFP.<\/p>\n<p>The Houthis have been at war with the government since 2014 in a conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of people and triggered a major humanitarian crisis in Yemen.<\/p>\n<p>The rebels control Yemen&#8217;s capital <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/sanaa\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Sanaa<\/a> and much of the populous north, while the government holds much of the south.<\/p>\n<p>The fighting had largely been frozen since a UN-negotiated truce in 2022 that had held despite expiring.<\/p>\n<p><em>(FRANCE 24 with AFP)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"o-sidebar__aside\">\n<div data-tms-ad-status=\"idle\" data-tms-ad-container class=\"o-ad-container o-ad-container--box o-ad-container--with-shimmer\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__content o-ad-container__content--report-enabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__label m-block-ad__label--report-enabled\">\n                    <span class=\"o-ad-container__label__text\">Advertising<\/span><br \/>\n                                            <button title=\"Report this ad\" class=\"o-ad-container__content__report-link\" data-tms-ad-report><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__tags t-content__below-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"m-section-title m-section-title--small\">Keywords for this article<\/div>\n<ul class=\"m-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/middle-east\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Middle East\">    Middle East<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/iran-conflict\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Iran war\">    Iran war<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/houthi-rebels\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Houthi rebels\">    Houthi rebels<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/yemen\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Yemen\">    Yemen<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/iran\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Iran\">    Iran<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/saudi-arabia\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Saudi Arabia\">    Saudi Arabia<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Advertising Houthi rebels kill dozens of Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces Middle East At least 38&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":3996,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3995","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-middle-east"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3995","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3995"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3995\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3997,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3995\/revisions\/3997"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3996"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3995"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3995"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3995"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}