Houthis Launch Missile Attacks and Red Sea Naval Drills

The Houthis launched 14 ballistic missiles and drone attacks targeting populated districts in the Hodeidah and Taiz provinces along Yemen's western coast on September 3, 2026. The Yemeni Armed Forces Media Center reported that air defenses intercepted several drones over the Taiz front, while ballistic missiles failed to hit deployed force positions. Simultaneously, government forces suppressed hostile fire during ground clashes in the Al-Kadaha sector of the Al-Barh front in western Taiz province.

In a parallel escalation, the Yemeni Navy initiated military exercises in the Red Sea. Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a senior official of the Supreme Political Council in Sana’a, stated the drills prepare the military for potential confrontations with Israel and the United States. These exercises also aim to disrupt a decade-long Saudi-led blockade of Yemen.

This surge in activity follows a maritime blockade imposed by the Sana’a administration against Saudi Arabia on July 20, which officials described as a response to an "unjust and oppressive siege." While the conflict had seen a relative lull since April 2022, fighting has recently resumed in Marib, Al-Jawf, Al-Dhalea, and Taiz. The broader war began in March 2015 when a Saudi-led coalition, supported by the United States, launched a comprehensive offensive against the Houthis.