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The following is atimeline of theYemeni civil war, which began in September 2014.
After several weeks of street protests against the Hadi administration, which made cuts to fuel subsidies that were unpopular with the group, the Houthis fought theYemen Army forces under the command of GeneralAli Mohsen al-Ahmar. In abattle that lasted only a few days, Houthi fighters seized control ofSanaa, the Yemeni capital, inSeptember 2014.[1] The Houthis forced Hadi to negotiate an agreement to end the violence, in which the government resigned and the Houthis gained an unprecedented level of influence over state institutions and politics.[2][3]
In January 2015, unhappy with aproposal to split the country into six federal regions,[4] Houthi fightersseized the presidential compound in Sanaʽa. The power play prompted the resignation of PresidentAbdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and his ministers.[5][6] The Houthi political leadership then announced the dissolution ofparliament and the formation of aRevolutionary Committee to govern the country on 6 February 2015.[7]
On 21 February, one month after Houthi militants confined Hadi to his residence in Sanaʽa, he slipped out of the capital and traveled toAden. In a televised address from his hometown, he declared that the Houthi takeover was illegitimate and indicated he remained the constitutional president of Yemen.[8][9][10] His predecessor as president,Ali Abdullah Saleh—who had been widely suspected of aiding the Houthis during their takeover of Sanaʽa the previous year—publicly denounced Hadi and called on him to go into exile.[11]
On19 March 2015, the troops loyal to Hadi clashed with those who refused to recognize his authority in theBattle of Aden Airport. The forces under GeneralAbdul-Hafez al-Saqqaf were defeated, and al-Saqqaf fled toward Sanaʽa.[12] In apparent retaliation for the routing of al-Saqqaf, warplanes reportedly flown by Houthi pilots bombed Hadi's compound in Aden.[13]
After20 March 2015Sanaa mosque bombings, in a televised speech,Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the leader of the Houthis, said his group's decision to mobilize for war was "imperative" under current circumstances and thatAl-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and its affiliates—among whom he counts Hadi—would be targeted, as opposed to southern Yemen and its citizens.[14] President Hadi declared Aden to be Yemen's temporary capital while Sanaʽa remained under Houthi control.[15][16]
Also, the same day as the mosque bombings, al-Qaeda militants captured the provincial capital ofLahij,Al Houta District after killing about 20 soldiers before being driven out several hours later.[17]
Hadi reiterated in a speech on21 March 2015 that he was the legitimate president of Yemen and declared, "We will restore security to the country and hoist the flag of Yemen in Sanaʽa, instead of the Iranian flag."[18] He also declared Aden to be Yemen's "economic and temporary capital" due to the Houthi occupation of Sanaʽa, which he pledged would be retaken.[19]
InSanaa, the HouthiRevolutionary Committee appointed Major GeneralHussein Khairan as Yemen's new Defence Minister and placed him in overall command of the military offensive.[20][21]
On22 March 2015, Houthi forces backed by troops loyal to Saleh enteredTaiz, Yemen's third-largest city, and quickly took over its key points. They encountered little resistance, although one protester was shot dead and five were injured.[22][23][24]Western media outlets began to suggest Yemen was sliding into civil war as the Houthis from the north confronted holdouts in the south.[25][26][27]
On14 December 2015, the pro-SalehYemeni Army andHouthi militants carried out astrike with anTochka ballistic missile against a military camp that was being used by troops of theSaudi-led coalition, south-west of the city ofTaiz.[28][29]
On23 March 2015, Houthi forces advanced towards the strategicBab-el-Mandeb strait, a vital corridor through which much of the world's maritime trade passes.[30] The next day, fighters from the group reportedly entered the port ofMocha.[31][32]
On31 March 2015, Houthi fighters entered a coastal military base on the strait after the 17th Armoured Division of the Yemen Army opened the gates and turned over weapons to them.[33]
On2 April 2015,Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, the foreign minister ofDjibouti, said the Houthis placed heavy weapons and fast attack boats onPerim and a smaller island in the Bab-el-Mandeb strait. He warned that the weapons posed "a big danger" to his country, commercial shipping traffic, and military vessels.[34]
On24 March 2015, Houthi forcesseized administrative buildings in Dhale (or Dali) amid heavy fighting, bringing them closer to Aden.[35] However, Houthi fighters were swiftly dislodged from Ad Dali' and Kirsh by Hadi-loyal forces.[36]
Fighting over Dhale continued even as the Houthis advanced further south and east. On31 March 2015, Hadi loyalists clashed with the Houthis and army units loyal to Saleh.[37]
On1 April 2015, a pro-Houthi army brigade was said to have "disintegrated" after being pummeled by coalition warplanes in Ad Dali. The commander of the 33rd Brigade reportedly fled, and groups of pro-Houthi troops withdrew to the north.[38]The city reportedly fell into pro-government hands by the end of May.[39]
On24 March 2015, in theLahij Governorate, heavy fighting erupted between Houthis and pro-Hadi fighters.[35] The next day,Al Anad Air Base, 60 kilometers from Aden, was captured by the Houthis and their allies. The base had recently been abandoned byUnited States of AmericaUSSOCOM troops.[40][41] Defense MinisterMahmoud al-Subaihi, one of Hadi's top lieutenants, was captured by the Houthis inAl Houta and transferred to Sanaʽa.[42][43] Houthi fighters also advanced to Dar Saad, a small town, 20 km north of Aden.[44]
On26 March 2015, afterclashes erupted in Aden, Hadi loyalists counterattacked as aSaudi-led military intervention got underway. Artillery shelledAl Anad Air Base, forcing some of its Houthi occupants to flee the area.[45]Saudi airstrikes also hit Al Anad.[46] Despite the airstrikes, the southern offensive continued.[47][48]
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In Aden, military officials said militias andmilitary units loyal to Hadi had "fragmented" by 25 March, speeding the Houthi advance. They said the Houthis were fighting Hadi's troops on five different fronts.[49]Aden International Airport suspended all flights.[50]Fighting reached Aden's outskirts on25 March 2015, with pro-Saleh soldiers taking overAden International Airport and clashes erupting at an army base.[51][52] Hadi reportedly fled his "temporary capital" by boat as the unrest worsened.[43] On26 March 2015, he resurfaced in the Saudi capital,Riyadh, where he arrived by plane and was met by Saudi PrinceMohammad bin Salman Al Saud.[53]
Over the following days, Houthi and allied army forces encircled Aden[54][55] and hemmed in Hadi's holdouts, although they encountered fierce resistance from the embattled president's loyalists and armed city residents. They began pressing into the city center on29 March 2015 despite coalition air strikes and shelling fromEgyptian Navy warships offshore.[56]
On2 April 2015, the compound that has been used as a temporary presidential palace was taken by the Houthis,[57] and fighting moved into the centralCrater andAl Mualla districts.[58]
A small contingent of foreign troops was reportedly deployed in Aden by early May, fighting alongside anti-Houthi militiamen in the city.Saudi Arabia denied the presence ofground troops,[59] while Hadi's government claimed the troops were Yemeni special forces who had received training in thePersian Gulf and were redeployed to fight in Aden.[60]
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On21 July 2015, forces loyal to Hadi recaptured Aden with support from Saudi Arabia in Operation Golden Arrow after months of fighting. This allowed supplies to finally reach the port city giving civilians desperately needed aid.
On22 July 2015, a Saudi military plane landed in Aden international airport filled with relief aid. Also, a UN ship docked in Aden carrying much-needed relief supplies, the first UN vessel to reach the city in four months. Another ship sent by the UAE also delivered medical aid. On21 July 2015, a UAE technical team had arrived to repair the tower and passenger terminal at Aden international airport, heavily damaged in clashes. On24 July 2015, a military plane from the UAE arrived filled with relief aid.[61]
On4 August 2015, Houthi forces were pushed back from the Al-Anad airbase, by Pro-Hadi forces.[62]
On17 October 2015, Saudi Arabia confirmed the arrival of Sudanese troops into Aden for the purpose of bolstering the Saudi-led coalition.[63][64]
The Houthis racked up a series of victories in theAbyan Governorate east of Aden in the days following their entrance into Hadi's provisional capital, taking control ofShuqrah andZinjibar on the coast and winning the allegiance of a local army brigade, but they also encountered resistance from both pro-Hadi army brigadiers andal Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula militants.[65]Zinjibar andJaarwere recaptured by AQAP on2 December 2015.[66]
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula took control ofMukalla in the easternHadhramaut Governorate on2 April 2015, driving out soldiers defending the city with mortar fire and springing some 300 inmates from prison, including a local al-Qaeda leader.[67][68]
Local tribal fighters aligned with Hadi surrounded and entered Mukalla on4 April 2015, retaking parts of the city and clashing with both al-Qaeda militants and army troops.[69] Still, the militants remained in control of about half of the town. In addition, al-Qaeda fighters captured a border post with Saudi Arabia in an attack that killed two soldiers.[70]
On13 April 2015, Southern militia said they took control of the army base loyal to the Houthis nearBalhaf.[71] Mukalla city was recaptured from AQAP in late April 2016, after UAE and Hadi loyalists troops entered the city, killing some 800 AQAP fighters.[72]
On12 June 2015, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula leaderNasir al-Wuhayshi was killed in aUS drone strike in Mukalla.[73]
Although the Houthis took control ofLahij on the road toAden, resistance continued in theLahij Governorate. Ambushes and bombings struck Houthi supply lines to theAden front, with a land mine killing a reported 25 Houthi fighters on their way to Aden on28 March 2015.[74]
Fighting also centered on theShabwa Province, in the oil-rich Usaylan region, whereAl-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) andAnsar al-Sharia hold sway. On29 March 2015, 38 were killed in fighting between the Houthis and Sunni tribesmen. Tribal sources confirmed the death toll, and claimed only 8 of them were from their side, with the other 30 either Houthis or their allies from the Yemeni military.[75]
On9 April 2015, the Houthis and their allies seized the provincial capital ofAtaq. The takeover was facilitated by local tribal chiefs and security officials.[76] AQAP seized Azzan, and Habban in early February 2016.[77][78]
On22 March 2015, in the province ofMarib, 6 members of pro-Hadi tribes were killed duringfighting against Houthis.[23]
On23 March 2015, 15 Houthis and 5 tribesmen were killed in clashes in theAl Bayda Governorate.[79] During the fight between Hadi loyalists and Houthi militiamen inSanaa, theEthiopian embassy was reportedly struck by shelling on3 April 2015. TheEthiopian government said the attack appeared to be unintentional. No injuries at the embassy were reported.[80]
On7 April 2015, armed tribesmen drove off Houthis who had set up a makeshift camp in southernIbb Governorate and seized their weapons.[81]
Between17 and 18 April 2015, at least 30 people were killed when the Houthis and allied army units attacked a pro-Hadi military base in Taiz. The dead included 8–16 pro-Hadi and 14–19 Houthi fighters,[82][83] as well as 3 civilians.[84] Another report put the number of dead at 85.[85]
On the morning of19 April 2015, 10 more Houthi and four pro-Hadi fighters were killed.[86]
A pro-Hadi official claimed 150 pro-Houthi and 27 tribal fighters had been killed in fighting in Marib Governorate between2 and 21 April 2015.[87]
On4 September 2015 a Houthi missilehit an ammunition dump at a military base in Marib killing 45 UAE, 10 Saudi and 5 Bahraini soldiers.[88]
On16 October 2015, Houthis and allied forces reportedly seized control of a military base in the town of Mukayris, pushing opponents out of southern Bayda.[89]
InJanuary 2016, a newconflict began in Aden, with ISIL and AQAP controlling neighborhoods in the city.[90]On6 January, Hadi loyalistscaptured the strategic port ofMidi District, but insurgents backed by the Houthi government continued making attacks in and around the city.On23 January, the first phase of theBattle of Port Midi ended, although an insurgency continues.On31 January, the2016 Alanad Air Base missile attack occurs.As ofFebruary 2016, pro-Hadi forces had managed to enterSanaa Governorate by capturing theNihm District killing dozens of Houthi fighters. They continued their advance, capturing some cities and villages.[91]On1 February, Al-Qaeda capturedAzzan.[92]On20 February, theSouthern Abyan Offensive ended, being captured by AQAP linked them with their headquarters inMukalla.[93]On22 February, theAbyan conflict (2016–present) begins.On4 March, theMissionaries of Charity attack in Aden occurs.On16 March, bombing of Khamees Market inMustaba'a,Hajjah.[94] The US-supplied precision-guidedMark 84 bomb killed 97 people.[95]On25 March, the2016 Aden car bombing occurs. On24 April,Battle of Mukalla (2016) - Saudi led coalition retake Mukalla from Al-Qaeda.On26 April, theHadramaut Insurgency begins.On15 May, theMay 2016 Yemen police bombings occur.On23 May, the23 May 2016 Yemen bombings occur.On28 June, theJune 2016 Mukalla attacks occur.On20 August, there were demonstrations at SatinSanaa's Sabeen square to show support for the Higher Political Council, the Shia Houthi governing body and former Yemeni presidentAli Abdullah Saleh. The head of council pledged to form a full government within days.[96][97] The crowd size was variously placed at tens of thousands[96] and hundreds of thousands.[97] The crowd's demands were "quickly rejected by the United Nations and the country's internationally recognized government."[97] Meanwhile, Saudi planes roared above the population and bombed nearby leaving an unknown number of casualties.[98]On29 August, theAugust 2016 Aden bombing occurs.On1 October, UAE shipHSV-2 Swift attacked and damaged by Houthi missile off Yemeni coast.On8 October, the2016 Sana'a funeral airstrike occurs.From2–3 December, the cities of Zinjibar andJaʿārfall to Al-Qaeda in the Arabian PeninsulaFrom10–18 December, theDecember 2016 Aden suicide bombings occur.On14 December, theDecember 2015 Taiz missile attack occurs.On16 December, theNihm Offensive begins.
On29 January,U.S. Navy SEALs carried outa raid in Yakla. Despite a plan for the raid having existed for months, theObama administration refused to approve the raid, because PresidentBarack Obama feared an escalation ofU.S. involvement in Yemen.[99][100] After 5 days in office, President Trump approved the raid, over dinner with his new secretary of defense and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The raid caused numerous civilian casualties, with "a chain of mishaps and misjudgments" leading to a 50-minute shootout that led to the killing of one SEAL, the wounding of three other SEALs, and the deliberate destruction of a $75 million U.S.MV-22 Osprey aircraft that had been badly damaged on landing.[101] The U.S. government reported that 14Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula fighters were killed and acknowledged that "civilian noncombatants likely were killed" as well.[102]Human Rights Watch, citing witness statements, reported the death of 14 civilians, including nine children.[103]From1 to 8 March, the US conducted 45 airstrikes against AQAP, a record amount of airstrikes conducted against the group by the US in recent history. The airstrikes were reported to have killed hundreds of AQAP militants.[104][105]On25 March a court in Houthi-controlledSanaa sentenced Hadi and six other government officials todeath in absentia for "high treason" in the form of "incitement and assistance to Saudi Arabia and its allies".[106][107] The sentence was announced by the Houthi-controlledSaba News Agency.[106]InMay, ISIL's Wilayats in Yemen released propaganda videos of their operations, claiming attacks upon Hadi-led government, Houthi rebels and AQAP targets.On22 July, Houthis and forces loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh launched a retaliation missile (calledVolcano H-2) onSaudi Arabia targeting the oil refineries in theYanbu Province of Saudi Arabia. Houthis and Ali Saleh media have claimed that the missile hit its target causing a major fire, while Saudi Arabia has claimed that it was due to the extreme heat that caused one of the generators to blow up.[108]On27 July, Houthis and forces loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh launched approximately 4Volcano 1 missiles atKing Fahad Air Base, the Houthis and Saleh said that the missiles had successfully hit their targets, whereas Saudi Arabia said that it was able to shoot down the missiles claiming that the Houthis real goal was to hitMecca.[109]On1 October, a USMQ-9 Reaper drone was shot down north of Sanaa.U.S. Central Command stated that the Reaper Drone was shot down by Houthi air defense systems overSanaa in western Yemen the previous day. The aircraft took off fromChabelley Airport inDjibouti and was armed.[110][111][112][113] Also, sometime in late 2017, in a gradual escalation of U.S. military action, a group of U.S. Army commandos arrived to seek and destroy Houthi missiles near the Saudi Arabian border. In public statements, the U.S. government has tried to keep secret the extent of its involvement in the conflict since the Houthis pose no direct threat to America.[114]CNN reported that on16 October, the US carried out its first airstrikes specifically targeting ISIS-YP; the strikes targeted two ISIS training camps in Al Bayda Governorate. A US Defense official toldCNN that there were an estimated 50 fighters at the camps, the Pentagon said in a statement that the camps’ purpose was to "train militants to conduct terror attacks using AK-47s, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, and endurance training." The strikes, carried out in cooperation with the government of Yemen, disrupted the organization's attempts to train new fighters.[115]On2 December,Ali Abdullah Saleh formally split with the Houthis, calling for a dialogue with Saudi Arabia to end the civil war.[116]Clashes in Saana ensued.[117]On4 December, Saleh was attacked and later killed by Houthi fighters while trying to flee Sanaa.[118] Shortly after his death, Saleh's son,Ahmed Saleh, called for Saleh's forces to split from the Houthis.[119]On7 December, troops loyal to Hadicaptured the strategic coastal town of Al-Khawkhah in western Yemen (115 km south ofAl Hudaydah) from the Houthis. It was the first time in 3 years forces loyal to Hadi had entered theAl Hudaydah Governorate.[120]On24 December, troops loyal to Hadi captured the cities ofBeihan andUsaylan, officially ending Houthi presence in any major city that is a part of theShabwah Governorate.[121]The Saudi-led coalition placed the number of enemy fighters killed at 11,000 as of December 2017.
Battle of Aden (2018): The southern separatists represented by theSouthern Transitional Council were backing the Hadi government against the Houthis, but tensions erupted in January 2018 with the separatists accusing the government of corruption and discrimination. Gun battles erupted in Aden on 28 January 2018 after the deadline set by the separatists for Hadi to dismiss his cabinet elapsed. Pro-STC forces seized a number of government offices, including the Hadi government's headquarters.[122] By 30 January, the STC had taken control of most of the city.[123]
On26 March, the Houthis launched abarrage of rockets at Saudi Arabia, killing an Egyptian man and leaving two others wounded inRiyadh.[124]On2 April, the Saudi-led coalition bombed a residential housing area in Al Hudaydah, killing at least 14 civilians and wounding 9.[125]On19 April, two leaders of Al-Qaeda in Yemen were killed on Thursday after a security raid was carried out by Yemeni forces in the province of Abyan. The security sources said that the leaders of al-Qaeda in Yemen, Murad Abdullah Mohammed al-Doubli, nicknamed "Abu Hamza al-Batani" and Hassan Baasrei were killed after a raid by security forces in the Al-Qaeda stronghold. Also known as Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula or AQAP, Al-Qaeda is primarily active in Yemen. The U.S. government believes AQAP to be the most dangerous of the al-Qaeda branches.[126]On22 April, the Saudi-led coalition carried out airstrikes on a wedding inHajjah, a town in northwestern Yemen; the airstrikes left at least 33 people dead and 41 wounded. The attack consisted of two missiles that hit several minutes apart.[127] Most of the people killed were women (including the bride at the wedding) and children. Ambulances were not able to get to the site of the attack at first, because, as jets were continuing to fly overhead after the attack, there were concerns about further airstrikes.[128]Houthi media outlets announced on23 April thatSaleh Ali al-Sammad had been killed in an airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition the previous week.[127]On7 May, airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition hitYemen's presidency building. The attack left at least 6 people dead, all of whom were civilians. 30 people were also wounded in the airstrikes.[129]On8 and 9 June, heavy fighting began in al-Durayhmi and Bayt al-Faqih, 10 and 35 kilometers from the port city of al-Hudaydah, respectively. The United Nations warned that a military attack or a siege on the city could cost up to 250,000 lives.[130]On10 June, it was reported that the United Nations had withdrawn from Hudaydah.[131] Also on 10 June, it was reported that so far, 600 people had died in recent days as the battle intensified.[132] Furthermore, also on 10 June,Al Jazeera published an article containing reports of alleged torture in Houthi prisons in Yemen.[133]On12 June, it was reported that an airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition hit a Doctors Without Borders building. This was despite markings on the roof of the building identifying it as a building of health care and despite the fact that its coordinates had been shared with the coalition. No one was hurt in the attack, but the newly constructed building suffered significant damage.[134]On9 August, aSaudi airstrike on a school bus in a crowded market inDahyan killed 40 young school children and 11 adults. The 227 kg (500 lb) laser-guidedMk 82 bomb used in the attack was made byLockheed Martin and purchased by Saudi Arabia from the US.[135]On13 December, a truce was called inHudaydah, a port city in Yemen.[136] Warring parties agreed to have a ceasefire in the crucial place, which is a lifeline for half the country. The Houthis agreed to have all forces withdraw from Hudaydah in the following days, same as those from the Yemeni government alliance who were fighting them there, both being replaced by United Nations-designated "local troops".On22 December 2018,Patrick Cammaert began leading theUnited Nations Mission to support the Hudaydah Agreement.[137]
On8 January, the Council on Foreign Relations listed this conflict as a conflict to watch during 2019.[138] Similarly, the ItalianInstitute for International Political Studies also claimed it to be a conflict to watch in 2019.[139]On17 January 2019, Cammaert's convoy was reported to have been fired upon by unknown assailants, though Cammaert remained uninjured.[140]Sporadic exchanges of fire and other ceasefire violations were reported between Houthi forces and coalition troops around Hudaydah in January.[141]On31 January 2019, Patrick Cammaert was replaced by Danish Major GeneralMichael Lollesgaard as head of the UNMHA.[142]An explosion in a warehouse on7 April in Sanaa killed at least 11 civilians, including school children and left more than 39 people wounded. TheAssociated Pressnews agency said 13 were killed, including 7 children, and more than 100 were wounded. According to Al Jazeera and Houthi officials, the civilians were killed in a Saudi-led coalition airstrike.[143] The Saudi-led coalition denied any airstrikes took place that day on Sanaa. The state-run news agency in Aden, aligned with the internationally recognized government, said the rebels had stored weapons at the warehouse. According toThe Washington Post, "some families and residents of the district of Sawan said the explosion occurred after a fire erupted inside the warehouse. They said a fire sent columns of white smoke rising into the air, followed by the explosion." Their accounts were confirmed by several videos filmed by bystanders.[144][145]On6 June, Houthis shot down a USMQ-9 Reaper drone over Yemen, using anSA-6 missile, theCENTCOM asserted that the event "indicated an improvement over previous Houthi capability," and that it was enabled with Iranian assistance.[146][147]On23 June, Houthi rebels carried out a droneattack onAbha International Airport, killing aSyrian national and wounding 21.[148]On25 June, Saudi special forces announced that they captured the leader of theIS-YP,Abu Osama al-Muhajer, on 3 June along with other members including thechief financial officer of the organization.InJune, theUnited Arab Emirates began scaling back its military presence in Yemen, amidst the soaring US-Iran tensions closer to home. According to four western diplomats, the key member of the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, UAE pulled out troops from the southern port of Aden and its western coast. One of the sources stated that "a lot" of forces have been withdrawn in three weeks.[149]InJuly, the United Arab Emirates announced the partial withdrawal of its troops from Yemen, amid tensions withIran on thePersian Gulf.[150]On12 August, fighters aligned with theSouthern Transitional Counciltook control of Aden from the Saudi-backed government.[151]On12 August, Houthis shot down another USMQ-9 Reaper unarmed drone over Dhamar, Yemen. The claim was corroborated by two US officials.[152]On26 August, Houthi rebels fired a total of 10Badr-1 ballistic missiles at theJizan airport in southwest Saudi Arabia. The retaliatory attack led to dozens of killings and injuries. Riyadh claimed that it had intercepted six out of 10 missiles fired from Yemen.[153] Houthi fightersambushed a Saudi Arabianauxiliary force of around 1,100 men from the al-Fateh Brigade in the Jabara Valley inSaada Governorate as part ofOperation Victory from God.[154]On29 August, the Yemeni government alleged that theUnited Arab Emirates conducted airstrikes over the forces heading to the southern port city ofAden to fight the UAE-backed separatists. A Yemeni commander, Col. Mohamed al-Oban stated that the airstrikes killed at least 30 troops.[155]On30 August,Islamic State took responsibility for a suicide bomb attack in the Yemeni port of Aden, which was carried out by a militant on a motorcycle. The attack reportedly killed six southern separatist fighters.[156]On1 September, the Saudi-led coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen launched severalairstrikes on a university being used as a detention center in a southwestern province. Initially, 60 fatalities were reported. However, officials and rebels later confirmed that at least 70 people died in the airstrikes inDhamar, making it the deadliest attack of the year by the coalition.[157]On8 September, the Arab coalition including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates urged separatists and President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's government to halt all military actions in south Yemen. The two Gulf nations asked them to prepare for "constructive dialogue" to end the crisis between the two nominal allies.[158]On14 September, the Houthi rebels claimed theAbqaiq and Khurais drone attacks, which caused massive damage to Saudi oil facilities.[159]On24 September, 16 people including seven children were killed by a Saudi attack inDhalea province.[160]On29 October, Yemeni officials reported that a large explosion hit the convoy of the internationally recognized government's defense minister. Mohammed Al-Maqdishi was inside a complex of buildings used as the ministry's interim headquarters inMarib Governorate. However, he survived the attack.[161]On13 November,Oman became the mediator between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi rebels. The country between the two conflicting nations held indirect, behind-the-scenes talks to end the ongoing war of five years in Yemen.[162]On29 December 2019, a missile-attack by Houthis in Yemen struck a military parade in southern separatist-controlled town of al-Dhalea, which killed at least five people and wounded others, Yemen's Security Belt forces said.[163] On the same day, the Houthi rebels listed locations on their strike targets, which included six "sensitive" sites in Saudi Arabia and three in the United Arab Emirates.[164]
On 27 September,Kuwait reiterated its willingness to host the parties involved in the Yemen war for another round of peace talks, in order to seek a political solution to the prolonged crisis.[165] Kuwait had also hosted the Yemen peace talks for three months in April 2016. However, the negotiations broke down in August, after they failed to yield a deal between the parties involved in the war.[166]
On 5 November, a power-sharing deal,Riyadh Agreement onYemen was signed between the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and the UAE-backed southern separatists, in the presence ofMohammed bin Salman,Mohammed bin Zayed,Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi,Southern Transitional Council's chiefAidarus al-Zoubaidi and other senior officials. It was signed in Saudi Arabia and was hailed as a wider political solution to end the multifaceted conflict in Yemen.[167] Despite the agreement, clashes between the STC and Hadi government forces took place in December.[168]
On7 January, Houthi rebels shot down a drone belonging to the Saudi-led coalition, in the northeastern province of Jawf.[169][170]On18 January, a missileattack on a military training camp in the central province ofMarib killed at least 111 soldiers, while dozens were wounded. The Yemeni government blamedHouthi rebels for the attack, as there was no claim of responsibility.[171] The strike targeted a mosque as people met for prayer, military sources told Reuters.[172][173]On29 January, Houthi rebels said they carried out missile and drones attacks on Saudi Aramco in the kingdom's southern Jazan province. However, Saudi oil authorities claimed that the missiles were intercepted.[174]Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula leaderQasim al-Raymi was killed by an American drone strike.[175]On31 January, Houthi armed forces spokesman Gen.Yahya Saree announced that Houthi forces managed to capture roughly 2,500 km2 (970 sq mi) of territory including the city of Naham, and parts of the governorates ofAl-Jawf andMarib, from Saudi-led forces. They recaptured the entire Sanaa Governorate.[176] The coalition forces immediately denied this claim, claiming victory and progress in these areas."In the Nahm district, east of the capital Sanaa, the National Army managed to regain control of a number of Houthi-controlled areas," Majli said.[177][178]
On15 February, a SaudiTornado was shot down duringclose air support mission in support of Saudi allied Yemeni forces in the Yemeni Al Jouf governorate by Houthis. On the day after, the Saudi command confirmed the loss of a Tornado, while video evidence was released showing the downing using a two-stage surface to air missile. Both pilots ejected and were captured by Houthis according to the Saudi Coalition.[179][180][181][182] The next day, the Saudi-led coalition launched airstrikes, targeting Yemen's northernAl Jawf Governorate and killed 31 civilians.[183]
On 1 March, Houthi forces captured the city ofAl Hazm, the capital ofAl Jawf Governorate.[184][185]On 10 March, Houthis forces captured the town of Tabab Al-Bara and other portions ofSirwah District inMarib Governorate in theireastward offensive towards the city ofMarib.[186][187]On 30 March, the Saudi-led coalition carried out an airstrike on the Yemeni capital, Sanaa.[188] The attacks came despite theUN Secretary-GeneralAntónio Guterres and other organizations asking to maintain ceasefire during theCOVID-19 pandemic. In their statement, a group of regional experts also said that allpolitical prisoners should be released from prisons to tackle the appalling health care system, and mitigate theCOVID-19 pandemic from spreading in Yemen.[189]
On 5 April, at least 5 women were killed and 28 people injured when shelling hit the woman's section of Taiz's main prison. The shelling came from the part of the divided city controlled by the Houthis.[190] The attack was condemned by theHigh Commissioner of theUnited Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR)Michelle Bachelet, who called it a breach ofinternational humanitarian law.[191][192]After the United Nations urged both sides to pursue peace talks in order to respond to theCOVID-19 pandemic in Yemen,[193] Saudi-led coalition spokesmanTurki Al-Maliki announced a unilateral ceasefire beginning 9 April at noon, to support efforts to mitigate theCOVID-19 pandemic.[194]However, despite pledging to a ceasefire inYemen, theSaudi-led coalition carried out dozens of airstrikes in the span of a week. The Yemen Data Project stated that at least 106 Saudi-led airstrikes, across 26 raids in Yemen have been carried out by the Kingdom over the last week.[195]On 26 April, theSouthern Transitional Council (STC) announced it was establishing self-rule in the parts of south Yemen under their control. The move threatened to renew the conflict with the Saudi-backed Internationally Recognized Government (IRG) of PresidentAbdrabbuh Mansur Hadi.[196]By 28 April, Houthi forces said that they managed to capture eleven of the twelve districts and 95% of the Al-Jawf Governorate with only the eastern district ofKhab and al-Shaaf still being in Saudi-led coalition control. They controlled all of the formerNorth Yemen except for Marib Governorate.[197][198]
On 11 May, the Hadi government forces attacked the separatists' positions in the capital ofAbyan province,Zinjibar. An STC official, Nabil al-Hanachi stated that they managed to "stop the attack and kill many of them". The renewed fight between the two sides brought additional risks to the already vague Riyadh Agreement.[199]On 19 May, the President of STCAidarus al-Zoubaidi visitedRiyadh for two days, in order to discuss the prolongedimpasse with the Hadi government. However, the talks were extended to the eighth day on 26 May, where the Saudi Crown PrinceMohammed bin Salman was facing a challenge to resolve the conflict between the Hadi government it sponsors and the separatists backed by theUAE. The conflict between the two sides reflected rising differences within the Saudi-led coalition, giving rise to a "war within a war" that the two are fighting against the Houthi rebels.[200]
On 15 June, an airstrike from the Saudi-led coalition on a vehicle carrying civilians killed 13, including four children.[201]On 14 June, the STC confiscated billions of Yemeni riyals en route to the central bank in the port city Aden.[202]On 21 June, the STC seized full control of Socotra, deposing governorRamzi Mahroos, who denounced the action as a coup.[203]On 30 June, Houthis forces made further advances on the North of Badya and the South of Marib,seizing 400 km of terrain and inflicting 250 killed, wounded and captured Pro-Hadi Government forces.[204]
On 2 July, coalition fighter jets launched scores of airstrikes on several Yemeni provinces. The operation was a response to ballistic missile and drone launchings by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia. The air raids ended a ceasefire that had been in place since April, as part of efforts to battle the coronavirus.[205]On 21 July 2020, theInternational Organization for Migration revealed that between 30 March and 18 July, over 10,000 people got internally displaced citing fear of coronavirus.[206]
On 19 August, Houthi forces said they captured part of Al Bayda after they launchedan offensive.
On 31 December, explosions and gunfire targetedAden International Airport whilst a plane carrying members of the recently formedYemeni government disembarked. The attack left 28 people dead and 107 others injured.[207] None of the passengers were hurt in the attack and the Yemeni cabinet members were quickly transported toMashiq Palace for safety.[208]
The Houthis launchedanother offensive on Marib Governorate in late February with the aim of capturing Marib city. After making steady advances in the governorate, the Houthis launched a three pronged assault on the city with occasional ballistic strikes. According to theInternational Organization for Migration (IOM), over 140,000 displaced refugees from western Marib fled fearing the Houthis' advance.[209]
On 17 October, Houthi forces took control of theAbdiya, andHarib districts in Marib Governorate.[210]
In the first weeks of November Saudi Arabian forces were reported leaving Al-Alam camp and Ataq, the capital of Shabwa Governorate,[211] as well as the city of Aden.[212] Saudi officials said the movement of troops responded to a re-deployment of forces drawn by tactical assessment.[213]On 11 November, Houthi forces seized the US Embassy compound and captured Yemeni national staff.[214]On 13 November, Saudi led-coalition forces left their positions around Hudaydah city. UAE backed forces also withdrew from southern Hudaydah, their positions were later occupied by Houthi forces.[215][216]On 18 November,Agence France-Presse reported that nearly 15,000 Houthi rebels had been killed in Marib since mid-June, according to sources close to the rebels.[217]On 23 November, the UN published a report stating that, by the end of 2021, the death toll of the war would reach 377,000, including direct and indirect causes. An estimated 70% are children under the age of five.[218]
On 4 December, the Saudi-led Coalition announced it has conducted 11 separate operations targeting Houthis in Yemen, killing 60 Houthis and destroying seven military vehicles in the previous 24 hours. The commander of Yemen's third military region inMarib responsible for combat operations on various fronts of the city said the Yemeni army had also made several advances in recent days inBayhan,Usaylan and Harib.[219]On 5 December, the Saudi-led coalition said in a statement it had intercepted four drones fired by Houthi rebels towards Saudi Arabia's southern region. The statement also said Houthi rebels fired four ballistic missiles towardsMarib province.[220]On 25 December, two people were killed and seven injured inJazan in southern Saudi Arabia following a projectile attack blamed on Houthi rebels. In response, three died and six were injured in the Houthi-held town Ajama, Yemen in a Saudi-led coalition air strike.[221]
On 2 January, Houthi rebels seized in theRed Sea theUAE-flagged ship Rawabi, which was heading fromSocotra toJizan, claiming the vessel was carrying military supplies. Saudi Arabia said that the ship was carrying hospital equipment.[222]On 17 Januaryin an attack on the UAE capitalAbu Dhabi, three people were killed and six others wounded when three fuel tankers exploded in the industrial area ofMusaffah near storage facilities belonging to the state-owned oil firm,ADNOC. In the same attack, there was a fire at a construction site atAbu Dhabi International Airport. Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack which was possibly caused by drones.[223][224]On 21 January an airstrike at a detention center inSaada killed 82 people and injured 266 others (according toMédecins Sans Frontières), which was condemned by the United Nations. The Saudi-led coalition denied involvement in the attack.[225][226]Amnesty international reported that the coalition had carried out the strike using a laser-guided munition developed by U.S. defense companyRaytheon Technologies.[227]On 24 January, the Houthis once again fired rockets at the UAE, but the UAE and US military intercepted them.[228]According to an analysis bySave the Children, January was the deadliest month in the war since 2018, with a total of 599 civilians killed or wounded.[229]Oxfam reported that in the same month there were 43 coalition airstrikes on civilian targets.[230]
The UN brokered a two-month nationwide truce on 2 April 2022 between Yemen's warring parties, which included allowing fuel imports intoHouthi-held areas and some flights operating fromSanaa airport toJordan andEgypt.[231][232]
The UN announced on 2 June 2022 that the nationwide truce had been further extended by two months.[233]United States welcomed the truce extension in Yemen, praisingSaudi Arabia,Jordan,Egypt, andOman in helping to secure the truce.[234]
In August 2022 the truce was renewed with commitment to 'an expanded truce agreement as soon as possible'.[235] Southern separatists also launched amajor offensive capturing the capital ofShabwah and most of theAbyan province.
On 20 March 2023, theUnited Nations and theInternational Committee of the Red Cross reported that the Yemeni government and the Houthis agreed to release 887 detainees, following 10 days of negotiations inSwitzerland. Both parties also agreed to visitation rights in detention facilities and likely more prisoner swaps in the near future.Hans Grundberg, the UN’s special envoy for Yemen said that things are finally moving "in the right direction" toward a resolution of the conflict. The possible end to a devastating war in the region comes after the recentSaudi-Iranian rapprochement mediated byChina a week earlier.[236]
On 14 April, former chief of staffMahmoud al-Subaihi and Hadi's brother and intelligence chief Nasser were released by the Houthis as part of a prisoner swap with the Yemeni government.[237][238]
On 19 April, at least 85 people were killed and 322 people injured in astampede inSanaa, Yemen.[239][240]
Negotiations to end the civil war that includes all major combatants[241] begin in April 2023 after Iran and Saudi Arabia resumediplomatic relations.[242][243]
On 14 September a Houthi delegation visited Riyadh for what could be the final round of peace talks.[244]
Houthi military spokesmanYahya Saree spokesman said the Houthis had launched a "large number" of ballistic missiles and drones at Israel.[245]
On 1 November 2023, an Israeli Air Force F-35 shot down aQuds cruise missile. On 9 November 2023, the Houthis launched a ballistic missile, possibly aHatem, against the southern Israeli city ofEilat & for a 2nd time, it was intercepted in space.[246] 2nd generation2000 km range is suspected. However,Arrow 3s have a very high interception success rate.[247] But the Houthis remain undeterred & launchWa'aed drones at will against Israel using a flight path over theRed Sea.
On 11 December,Shia religious leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi hit theNorwegianMT Strinda oil tanker while it was transiting a load ofpalm oil toNaples. The entirely Indian crew was uninjured.[248] The ship burned spectacularly, but remarkably didn't sink. For Red Sea maritime security to and from theSuez Canal,Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) inManama,Bahrain has a 39-nation naval partnership (which includes Norway &) which established (its)Combined Task Force 153 on 17 April 2022.[249] (CDR Fridtjof is CMF'sNorwegian Representative.) TheInternational Maritime Security Construct was established on 16 September 2019 & also guards theBab-el-Mandeb Strait via Coalition Task Force (Operation) Sentinel. NorwegianState Secretary for Foreign Affairs Eivind Vad Petersson (who reports to theMinister of Foreign Affairs of Norway) said the attack will cause "great financial and material losses".[248]On 15 December, a Houthi drone hit the German-based shipperHapag-Lloyd's container shipMV Al Jasrah, causing a fire which was eventually extinguished & a Houthi ballistic missile hit, setting the Swiss-owned container shipMSC Palatium III ablaze. Because NATO's rulers authorized neither CTF 153 nor Operation Sentinel to deter the Houthis, the world's second largest shipping company,Maersk, stopped shipping containers through the Red Sea & the Suez Canal. Hapag-Lloyd paused all shipments through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait through the weekend. 10% of all oil traded at sea passes through it & a staggering number of dollars of cargo per year.[250]16 December,HMS Diamond shot down a Wa'aed drone, forcing the Houthis to switch tactics to relying on their various types of ballistic missiles.[251]USS Carney shot down 14 drones. Two more major shipping firms, Italian-Swiss basedMSC and France'sCMA CGM, suspended ship passage through the Bab-el-Mandeb Straight, costing the Suez (a combined) more than half its traffic. 40% of all exports & imports that are traded at sea transit through the strait.[252] (Notably,Chinese COSTCO was still operating.)
On 18 December, theUnited States-ledmilitary operation by a multinationalcoalition formed in December 2023 was launched to respond toHouthi-led attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.[253]
On 12 January 2024, the U.S. and the U.K., supported by many of their allies, launched airstrikes against the Houthis due to the group's actions in the Red Sea Crisis, beginning a series of strikes that would last for more than a year.[254]
On 10 March,AQAP reported the death of emir Khalid Batarfi, along the selection of his successorSa'ad bin Atef al-Awlaki.[255]
On 24 March, AQAP ambushed anSTC patrol in Wadi Omran, triggering a firefight which killed 2 STC fighters.[256]
On 29 April, an AQAP IED attack targeted an STC military vehicle in Mudiyah. The blast reportedly killed six STC soldiers.[257]
On 26 May 2024,The Houthis, with the help of the International Committee of the Red Cross, released more than 100 detainees in Sanaa, as part of a "unilateral humanitarian initiative" aimed at pardoning the prisoners and returning them to their families.[258]
On 21 June, AQAP ambushed an STC vehicle in Abyan, leading to the death of an STC soldier and the injury of two others.[259]
On 20 July, theIsrael Defense Forces (IDF) launched an attack atAl Hudaydah Port inYemen. Israel claimed it targeted weapon storage facilities. However, the attack damaged infrastructures belonging toYemen Petroleum Corporation (YPC) and port cranes.14 people were killed, including 12 port employees ofYPC were killed.[260][261][262]
On 16 August, AQAP carried out a suicide car bombing targeting a Security Belt military barracks inMudiyah district. The attack killed 16 soldiers and injured 18.[263]
On 29 September 2024, Israel launched attacks inYemen against the ports ofAl Hudaydah and Ras Isa, killing 6 people[264][265]
On 15 October, a roadside bomb placed by AQAP killed a commander of the STC fighters.[266]
On 19 October, AQAP fighters fired an RPG at an STC military vehicle inMudiyah district, killing two soldiers.[266]
On 21 October, an AQAP grenade attack in Wadi Omran killed an STC soldier and wounded two others, while also wounding two civilians.[266]
On 19 December and 26 December,Israel carried out several strikes against theHouthis in Yemen.[267] Airstrikes byIAFalso struckSanaa International Airport.[268]
On 10 January 2025, theIsraeli Air Force conducted airstrikes with the involvement of American and British Air Forces on multiple targets in the coastal strip controlled by the Houthi Movement and deep inside Yemen.[269]
On 15 March 2025, the U.S. began heavily striking Houthi positions in Yemen.[270]
From 16 March to 26 March, theU.S. conducted various airstrikes onHouthi controlled territory, destroying and damaging military infrastructures including military headquarters, weapon storage facilities, training bases and targeting the leadership.[271][272]However, strikes also hit many residential places, leading to severe civilian deaths. The strikes killed security chief of Houthi leaderAbdul-Malik al-Houthi.[273][274]The most significant attack onHouthi leadership occurred on 24 March and 26 March, killing 5 senior high profileHouthi leaders.[275][276]In response, theHouthis retaliated by attacking on U.S. vessels and military carriers in the Red Sea.[277][278]
On 27 March, TheU.S. deployedB-2 Spirit stealth bombers toDiego Garcia and contained to conduct strikes in Yemen.[279][280]
From April 1 to April 30, The U.S. conducted multiple keyHouthi controlled government infrastructures including anattack onRas Isa oil terminal andan attack Sadda Prison.[281][282] the U.S. also lost anF/A-18 Super Hornet fighter during the monthly operation.[283]
On April 13, 2025,Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) released a statement claiming responsibility for two drone attacks carried out earlier that day against military outposts manned byUAE-backed STC forces in Yemen'sMudiyah district.[284]
On 6 May,Oman successfully brokered aceasefire between the U.S. and the Houthis, with the latter agreeing to stop targeting American vessels. However, the Houthis continued to attack international shipping afterwards.[285][286]
On 5 May 2025,Israel started a series of airstrikes against theHouthi movement inYemen, in response to a Houthiballistic missile attack onBen Gurion Airport and attacks on Israel which could last until October 2025.[287][288]In response, theHouthis started attacking Israel with ballistic missiles and drone strikes.
On 24 May, An alleged U.S. air strike kills 5 AQAP militants in Southern Yemen.[289]
On 25 July, The Yemeni government forces announced that they repelled a Houthi attack inSaada, leaving 10 government soldiers dead.[290]
On 10 August, The Yemeni government forces repelled aHouthi attack in Dhalea province, leaving 3 Houthi fighters killed.[291]
On 29 August, Houthi Prime MinisterAhmed al-Rahawi was reportedly killed along with many associates during aIsraeli airstrike in Sanaa.[292]
On 10 September, theIsraeli Air Forceairstrikes against various targets in Yemen killed 46 peoples, including 31 media workers according toCommittee to Protect Journalists. This marked this attack the deadliest attack on journalists since theMaguindanao massacre.[293][294][295]
Since 5 October, The Houthis and Israel halted their attacks on each others in the wake of theceasefire in Gaza brokered by US PresidentDonald Trump.[286]
On 21 October 2025,Al-Qaeda in Arabian Peninsula committed asuicide car attack against theSTC forces inAbyan which killed 9-11 soldiers, including 4-5STC soldiers and 5-6 Al-Qaeda militants.[296][297][298][299]
On 3 December 2025, the STC began an offensive in theHadhramaut Governorate, claiming to take control ofSeiyun after clashes in the city'sairport andpalace, killing 3.[300]
On 4 December, the STC announced control over theAl-Mahrah Governorate, taking the region without much resistance.[301]
By 8 December, the STC controlled almost all of the territories that made up the formerSouth Yemen, possibly preparing for a formal declaration of independence from the rest of Yemen.[302]
On 23 December, the government and the Houthis agreed to a prisoner swap of 2,900 detainees, the largest swap of the war to that point.[303]
On 28 December,STC forces announced that they successfully repelled an assault launched by Houthi fighters in theLahj governorate.[304]
On 30 December 2025, the PLC government declared a 90-daystate of emergency acrossYemen while also canceling a joint defense agreement with theUnited Arab Emirates (UAE). The PLC ordered the withdrawal of all remaining UAE forces within 24 hours, and imposed a temporary blockade on entry points. The UAE subsequently announced the full withdrawal of its remaining counterterrorism personnel from Yemen, effectively ending its direct military presence and marking a de facto removal from the Saudi-led coalition's operations in the country.[305]
On 2 January, theSaudi Arabia backed-PLC began ancounter-offensive to take control of all military bases and camps under STC control.[306] TheRoyal Saudi Air Force started conducting air strikes in Al-Khasha and Seiyun to back the government forces. Saudi led airstrikes killed estimated 20 STC fighters.[307]
From 3 January to 4 January, the military forces aligned with Saudi Arabia issued a statement confirming they had secured complete control overHadramaut.[308][309]
From 7 January to 10 January, The Yemeni government forces took overAden and territory under STC control. Subsequently, the head of STC,Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, allegedly fled to the UAE.[310] On 9 January, following the collapse, the secretary general of STC declares the group dissolved.[311][312].On 10 January, the PLC announced that it had retaken full control of areas previously held by the STC.[313]
On 14 January, the Yemeni government forces announced that they repelled a Houthi attack inAl-Jawf.[314]
VG Missilangrep på det norsk skipet MT «Strinda»: – Del av støtten til Hamas
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