Yemeni government forces use drones against Houthis after attacks kill dozens
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
Yemeni government forces used remotely operated drones to strike Houthi fighters on front lines after Houthi one-way attack drones killed and injured dozens of government soldiers last week. Government military units released video showing drones tracking targets, dropping bombs and destroying armoured vehicles and hideouts. The exchanges highlight the growing use of drones by both sides in Yemen's decadelong conflict, even as experts say the Houthis retain superior missile and drone infrastructure.
Key Facts
- Houthi one-way attack drones killed and injured dozens of government soldiers in attacks on military camps and gatherings last week.
- Yemeni government forces announced in recent days the use of drones against Houthi positions in Marib, al-Jawf, Taiz, Hajjah, al-Dhalea and other fronts.
- Government military units released video showing drones tracking targets, dropping bombs, destroying armoured vehicles and damaging hideouts.
- The Iran-backed Houthis captured the capital Sanaa in September 2014 and pushed deeper into other parts of Yemen.
- Experts said the Houthis have years of experience and a more advanced missile and drone infrastructure than government forces.
Houthi Drone Attacks
Houthi one-way attack drones struck government military camps and gatherings last week, killing and injuring dozens of government soldiers. The attacks were part of a decadelong conflict that began after the Iran-backed Houthis captured the capital Sanaa in September 2014. The Houthis rapidly advanced deep into other parts of Yemen amid weak military resistance, leaving the government divided and fragile. Many political leaders, including then-President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, fled to Saudi Arabia due to the threat from the rebels.
Government Drone Response
Government military units used remotely operated drones to attack Houthi fighters on the front lines after the Houthi strikes. Forces affiliated with the government announced in recent days the use of drones against Houthi positions in Marib, al-Jawf, Taiz, Hajjah, al-Dhalea and other fronts. Government military units released video footage showing drones tracking targets, dropping bombs, killing fighters, destroying armoured vehicles and damaging hideouts. Marius Bales, a doctoral researcher at the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies, said the government side is now acquiring a potentially important tactical capability of its own. Bales said reusable remotely piloted drones may be particularly useful for day-to-day battle along relatively static front lines, even if they cannot match the Houthis' strategic strike range.
Drone Capability Gap
Houthi forces have years of experience and a more advanced missile and drone infrastructure than government forces, experts said. Rueben Dass, associate research fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said government forces have publicised the use of drone-dropped munitions released from rotary-wing drones. Dass said these drones may have been modified to carry improvised payloads targeting Houthi positions on the ground, similar to use by state and nonstate actors in several other conflict zones. Experts said the government does not necessarily need full parity with the Houthis to bring about change on the battlefield.
2 sources
Yemeni government forces use drones against Houthis after attacks kill dozens
