Houthi offensive on al-Makha port leaves 11 dead amid renewed Red Sea escalation
Yemen’s Houthi forces launched a second wave of missile and drone strikes on the Red Sea port of al-Makha on Sunday evening, killing at least 11 people and wounding 32. The assault, occurring less than 24 hours after an earlier barrage, caused extensive damage to commercial infrastructure and triggered an assassination attempt on the government-appointed governor of Hodeidah.
Yemen’s Houthi forces launched a renewed wave of missile and drone attacks on the Red Sea port city of al-Makha on Sunday evening, extending hostilities along the western coast and killing at least 11 people. The latest assault, which occurred less than 24 hours after an earlier barrage struck the same location, targeted government-held areas and caused significant damage to the commercial port’s infrastructure, goods, and food supplies.
Yemeni government forces reported that air defences intercepted six drones during the renewed operation, while two ballistic missiles fell into the sea without hitting their targets. Footage broadcast by Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV showed the launch of several ballistic missiles and drones. The National Resistance Forces, aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government, intercepted and destroyed an unmanned explosive boat approaching the commercial port.
The initial strikes earlier on Sunday killed at least 11 people, including eight military personnel and three civilians, and wounded 32 others, according to the latest toll cited by the AFP news agency. Government authorities stated that buildings and commercial facilities were hit, while The Associated Press reported damage to port infrastructure and stored supplies. The National Resistance Forces urged residents to remain indoors, accusing the Houthis of carrying out indiscriminate shelling.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree stated that the operation targeted Saudi troop concentrations and weapon depots in response to an alleged continued Saudi military buildup. This includes the reinforcement of allied forces with weapons and equipment along Yemen’s western coast and in Taiz province. Houthi political council member Hizam al-Assad claimed that continuing explosions, fires, and smoke at the port were caused by large quantities of weapons and military equipment stored there.
The escalation extended beyond al-Makha to the al-Khokha district south of Hodeidah. Al-Jumhuriya television, affiliated with the National Resistance Forces, reported that the government-appointed governor of Hodeidah, al-Hassan Taher, survived an assassination attempt after a Houthi ballistic missile struck his residence. The violence underscores the ongoing instability in the region, where Houthi allies have previously declared a parallel maritime blockade on Saudi ports in the Red Sea.
