West Asia LIVE: Houthi missile attacks kill 58 Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces, says source
Houthi rebels in Yemen launched a series of missile and drone attacks that killed at least 58 government troops, marking a significant escalation in the civil war. The violence has also impacted Saudi Arabia and contributed to rising global oil prices due to concerns over the Strait of Hormuz.
Why it matters
The escalation in Yemen threatens regional stability and global energy markets, drawing further attention to the intersection of local conflicts and international geopolitical tensions.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis killed at least 58 government troops in missile and drone attacks on Thursday (August 6, 2026), a military source said, in one of the deadliest days of the country’s civil war in four years.
The attacks come as Yemen is increasingly drawn into the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, with the rebels stepping up attacks against both government forces and neighbouring Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally and supporter of the internationally recognised Yemeni government.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the rebels attacked government positions with ballistic missiles and drones in response to an alleged military buildup backed by neighbouring Saudi Arabia.
More than 10 civilians, including a 4-year-old child, were injured in Saudi Arabia on Thursday after a series of attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, according to the Saudi military.
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