Houthi Drones Block Possible Peace Opportunities
SMA NEWS – ADEN THE CAPITAL
Since the end of the UN truce on October the 2nd, Yemen’s Houthis launched a series of drone attacks against their opponents.
Houthi attacks targeted vital and oil facilities as well as military sites in South Yemen, and some military fronts in North Yemen.
On the evening of the same day, a Houthi drone targeted the Southern forces in the Yafa front, Lahj governorate, in parallel with violent confrontations.
On October the 5th, the western fronts of Al-Dhalea governorate witnessed intense mobilization of drones, with simultaneous clashes.
On October the 8th, 8 civilians were injured in a drone attack believed to be Houthi targeting a car in the village of “Hadia”, Taiz governorate, in the center of the country.
On October the 9th, the pro-government forces announced the interception of a drone launched by the Houthis towards the northwestern front of Marib governorate.
On October the 15th, the Southern forces announced the interception of a Houthi drone in the “Tursa” front, in Al-Azariq district, north of Al-Dhalea.
On October the 18th, Radhum oil port in Shabwa governorate was targeted by drones, according to a statement from the Yemeni government.
On October the 19th, a military source reported to “South24 Center” that a drone believed to be Houthi had crashed near “Balhaf gas” facility.
In the largest attack since the end of the truce, and the first of its kind in Hadramout, on October the 21st, the Houthis targeted Dabba oil port with two explosive drones.
The Houthi attack coincided with the arrival of a Greek oil cargo ship. The Second Military District announced that its air defenses had managed to intercept the two drones.
In a statement, the Houthis claimed the attack, and vowed to carry out new attacks if crude oil production did not stop in areas under the PLC’s control.
The Houthis had stipulated that the salaries of civilians servants and military soldiers in its areas be paid from oil revenues for the continuation of the truce. The UN Security Council described these demands as “impossible.”
After attacking Dabba and Radhum oil ports, the Yemeni National Defense Council (NDC) issued its resolution No. 1 for this year, designating the Houthis as a “terrorist organization.”
The NDC directed the Yemeni government to complete the procedures for implementing the resolution, and also threatened to withdraw from the Stockholm Agreement on Hodeidah, which halted the Houthi defeats in 2018.
On October the 22nd, the Southern Giants Brigades announced the interception of a Houthi drone in Hays military axis, Hodeidah governorate, on the West Coast of Yemen.
On the same day, the Southern forces air defenses intercepted a Houthi drone that attempted to target Ataq International Airport in Shabwa governorate.
On October the 24th, the Joint Forces said that they had intercepted a Houthi drone over the Khokha district of Hodeidah governorate.
On the same day, it was reported that a drone believed to be a Houthi was intercepted in Ataq city, Shabwa governorate.
The Southern Giants Brigades also announced the interception of another drone in Hays military axis, the second in 48 hours.
On the other hand, the Houthis said, on October the 22nd, that Saudi forces had carried out artillery shelling on the border areas in Saada Governorate.
The group had held military parades in the last weeks of the truce, which included multiple models of drones.
The Yemeni government and the Arab Coalition accused Iran of providing the Houthis with drones and missiles, while the group claims to manufacture them domestically.
This major escalation of the Houthis using drones comes in light of accusations of Iran sending drones to participate in the war in Ukraine.
Iran is witnessing unprecedented waves of protest following the death of activist Mahsa Amini. Tehran accuses the West of trying to fuel these popular protests.
