‘Everyone lives in fear’: Yemenis dread renewed war as Houthis launch attacks

Yemenis in Mokha and Marib fear a return to all-out war as Houthi rebels escalate attacks against the Saudi-backed government, ending a 2022 truce. Houthi strikes hit Mokha port and military camps in Marib, killing 58 government troops and two civilians. Residents describe constant fear, with one saying 'everyone lives in fear.' The Houthis also announced a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia and welcomed an Iranian plane in Sanaa. Displaced people worry about further displacement, with Marib hosting 60 percent of Yemen's internally displaced.

Yemenis are bracing for a return to all-out war as the Houthi rebels escalate attacks against the Saudi-backed government, shattering a 2022 truce that had brought relative calm. The renewed hostilities have revived fears of displacement and violence among civilians, particularly in the port city of Mokha and the central province of Marib, a flashpoint that hosts 60 percent of Yemen's internally displaced people. Residents describe a climate of fear. Anwar, a father of two who fled to Mokha, said explosions at the port last week startled his children, and he fears for their safety. Another resident, Najem Hammoud al-Wahbani, said 'everyone lives in fear' as Houthi missiles and drones fly overhead daily. Mohammed Ali, displaced from Hodeida, is considering moving his family further east to Aden, fearing that fighting could 'destroy everything.' Earlier this month, the Houthis launched their deadliest attacks in years, killing 58 government troops, mainly in Marib, and two civilians in shelling on residential areas and displacement camps. The rebels also announced a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia, hitting its tankers in the Red Sea, and welcomed an Iranian plane in Sanaa, setting off tit-for-tat attacks. A mother living near a military camp that was hit said the strikes brought back 'the fear, anxiety, and despair' of the height of war. Ali Munif, displaced since 2021, asked, 'If war returns to Marib, where would I flee?' The article relies heavily on personal testimonies, conveying the human toll of the renewed conflict.