AI-generated illustration. Not an actual photograph.
The Truce Begins to Crack
On July 5, Houthi fighters launched a surprise attack on Yemeni army barracks near Jabal Dabbas, south of Hodeidah. At least 15 government soldiers were killed in the assault.
In the fighting that followed, government forces repelled the attack, reportedly killing more than 50 Houthi fighters. Officials described it as the most violent clash between the two sides since the 2022 ceasefire.
Tensions Boil Over at Sanaa Airport
On July 14, forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognised government struck Sanaa International Airport’s runway, saying the move was meant to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing with a delegation returning from Tehran.
The government publicly took responsibility for the strike.
The Houthis, however, blamed Saudi Arabia for the attack and vowed retaliation, declaring that the incident had ended what they called the “de-escalation phase” of Yemen’s conflict.
In response, the group launched ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia’s Abha International Airport.
Clashes Spread to the Dhale Front
The fighting has since spread beyond Hodeidah and the airports. Houthi fighters and forces loyal to the internationally recognised government clashed along a front line in the southwestern governorate of Dhale, leaving more than 30 casualties on both sides.
Analysts note that the Houthis appear to be moving beyond rhetoric and mobilisation towards actual military action on the ground — a shift that suggests the group may be seeking real territorial gains against its opponents, rather than just responding to individual incidents.
Houthis Confirm More Losses
On July 27, the Houthis announced that nine of their fighters had been killed amid escalating clashes with Yemeni government forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition.
Funerals for the fighters were held across several provinces — Saada, Taiz, Ibb, Amran, and Sanaa — underlining how widespread the fighting has become, rather than being confined to a single front.
What This Means
Taken together, these events point to something significant: the relative calm that has held in Yemen since the 2022 UN-brokered truce appears to be breaking down.
What began as isolated incidents — an airport strike here, a naval blockade there — has, over the course of a few weeks, turned into fighting on multiple fronts across the country.
While much of the recent attention on Yemen has focused on Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and shipping in the Red Sea.
this internal fighting is a reminder that Yemen’s own civil war, paused but never resolved, may now be resuming — with consequences for millions of civilians already living through one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.