A ballistic missile attack claimed by the Iran-backed Houthi militia struck a Saudi training base in Yemen’s Shabwah governorate on October 19, killing at least 75 people and injuring over 200, including Saudi troops, according to Saudi and Yemeni officials and witnesses. The assault marked the deadliest single strike by the Houthis since the resumption of intense hostilities earlier this year.
The targeted facility, known as the al-Alam camp, is located in a strategic desert area rich in oil and natural gas resources. It had recently begun hosting newly enlisted local forces poised to support Saudi efforts against the Houthis. Hundreds of recruits arrived for training after being promised payment, according to a Yemeni official familiar with the event. Witnesses reported that within minutes, three ballistic missiles hit the camp shortly after four battalions had gathered.
This attack is part of a series of recent operations demonstrating the Houthis’ growing capabilities in intelligence gathering, precision targeting, and rapid response. On October 15, the Houthis launched drones and missiles against Al-Maashiq Palace in Aden, the seat of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, killing and wounding several people, including Saudi officers whose housing was struck. Additional missile attacks targeted an airport near Mukalla shortly after Saudi military reinforcements arrived, recent accounts say.
Experts highlight that the Houthis are systematically striking military reinforcements, deployments, ammunition shipments, and recruitment centers across Yemen, complicating Saudi Arabia’s efforts to counter the militia. Mohammed al-Basha, a Yemen analyst, noted that these operations are part of a concerted campaign aimed at disrupting Saudi-backed forces’ consolidation and expansion.
Saudi Arabia has been engaged in Yemen’s civil war since 2015, intervening after the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa. The kingdom declared a ceasefire in 2022 following a period of intensified cross-border attacks, which included strikes on Saudi cities and critical energy infrastructure, causing casualties and flight disruptions. Despite years of partial calm supported by Saudi financial aid to government employees in Houthi-controlled areas, fighting reignited this summer with rapid escalation.
The Houthis have seized territory around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a key maritime chokepoint, threatening regional oil exports and international shipping. Saudi-backed forces launched a counteroffensive earlier this month but have made limited progress. Meanwhile, the Houthis continue to aim at strategic locations, including Taiz and Aden.
Yemen experts warn that Saudi Arabia faces a difficult choice: increase recruitment of local forces or commit more of its own troops to mount a large-scale offensive. The sophistication of Houthi missile and drone technology, combined with their intelligence capabilities, has made the conflict increasingly lethal. Fatima Abo Alasrar, a Yemeni affairs specialist, described the situation as “exponentially worse” than earlier phases of the war.
The al-Alam camp was previously controlled by United Arab Emirates-backed forces until their withdrawal in 2021. Its location remains vital to both the Yemeni government and Houthi ambitions due to its economic and strategic significance. Saudi authorities have not issued a public comment on the recent attack.