Full Breakdown
Houthi Missile and Drone Barrage Hits al-Makha and Marib
8/12/2026, 12:24:34 AM
The August 11 2026 Attacks
On August 11, 2026, Iran-backed Houthi forces launched a coordinated wave of ballistic missiles and attack drones against the Red Sea port city of al-Makha (Mocha) and residential districts in Marib. Yemen’s internationally recognised armed forces said the strikes killed four military personnel and three civilians and wounded 30 people, most of them civilians. Air-defence units reported shooting down 11 drones, while two missiles fell into the sea.
Background & Context
The Houthis seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in September 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in March 2015. A UN-brokered truce in April 2022 largely halted large-scale offensives, but it began to unravel after a Saudi airstrike on Sanaa’s runway on July 13, followed by retaliatory Houthi attacks on Saudi facilities and shipping lanes. Regional tension rose after the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, further destabilising the Yemeni front.
Timeline of Recent Hostilities
- August 7, 2026 – Houthi missiles and drones struck displacement camps and neighborhoods in Marib, killing two civilians and wounding 14.
- August 8, 2026 – Yemen’s army announced operations against Houthi positions on multiple fronts.
- August 10, 2026 – A Houthi-linked drone attack in Shabwa killed two government soldiers and wounded seven.
- August 11, 2026 – Renewed missile and drone barrage on al-Makha and Marib (core event).
Data & Statistics
- Casualties (August 11): 7 killed (4 soldiers, 3 civilians); 30 injured.
- Air-defence performance: 11 drones intercepted; 2 ballistic missiles landed in the sea.
- Previous week’s toll in al-Makha: at least 7 killed and 30 wounded.
- Marib shelling (August 8): 2 civilians killed, 14 injured.
Official Statements & Responses
- Yemeni military spokesperson reported the casualty figures and credited air-defences with downing the drones.
- Hizam al-Assad, a Houthi political council member, said the smoke and fires over the port resulted from large stores of weapons and equipment there.
- Dr. Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, described the attacks as part of a “systematic war” against Yemen’s vital economic facilities and urged the United States and the international community to address the sources of the threat.
- Colonel Wahed Abdullah Al-Nazzal of the Yemeni armed forces asserted, “We possess the will, capability and initiative necessary to neutralize the sources of the threat.”
- UN special envoy Hans Grundberg warned that the latest strikes placed Yemen at its greatest risk of renewed large-scale conflict since the 2022 truce.
Criticism & Opposition
The United Nations Security Council, meeting on August 7, expressed concern that the renewed hostilities threatened regional security, navigation rights, and could undermine peace efforts. The council called on all parties, including the Houthis, to refrain from further escalation and to engage in UN-led negotiations.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
While the Yemeni military provided specific casualty numbers for the August 11 attack, other outlets reported that “casualties and competing tolls” remained unclear, and some sources did not confirm the Houthis’ claim that stored weapons caused the port’s fires. No independent verification of the exact damage to port infrastructure has been released.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Now, can they make trouble? Yeah, they can make trouble, but they’re broke,” — Donald Trump, president
- “We possess the will, capability and initiative necessary to neutralize the sources of the threat,” — Colonel Wahed Abdullah Al-Nazzal (Yemeni armed forces)
