Yemenis Fear Return to Full-Scale War as Violence Escalates

DUBAI: Yemenis are once again facing growing fears of a return to full scale war as renewed fighting between Houthi rebels and the internationally recognised government threatens to end years of relative calm.

The country’s prolonged civil conflict killed tens of thousands, displaced millions and pushed Yemen towards famine before a truce in 2022 significantly reduced the intensity of fighting.

But the fragile calm has come under renewed pressure, with the Houthis stepping up attacks on government-held areas and government forces responding with strikes.

For families who experienced years of war and displacement, the latest escalation has brought back memories they had hoped were behind them.

Anwar, a father of two from Hodeida, previously fled his home as Houthi forces advanced and eventually sought safety in Mokha. Last week, explosions shook the city after an attack on its port, alarming him and his children.

Anwar said his greatest concern was not his own safety but the wellbeing of his family.

His three-year-old daughter was born after the 2022 truce and has never experienced war. When explosions erupted, she ran to her father and asked what was happening. Unable to explain the situation, he told her they were fireworks being set off for a wedding.

Another Mokha resident, Najem Hammoud al-Wahbani, said fear had become part of daily life as missiles and drones were heard overhead and shelling could be heard in the distance.

Residents worry that attacks currently occurring away from populated areas could eventually reach their homes.

The renewed violence comes after Yemen was drawn deeper into the wider Middle East conflict last month. The Houthis, who control large parts of northern Yemen including the capital Sanaa, intensified their confrontation with the Saudi-backed government.

The government said its military response followed deadly Houthi attacks targeting military positions in central Marib province, Mokha port on the Red Sea and residential areas where displaced people were living.

The latest escalation has also heightened concerns among communities already struggling with the consequences of years of conflict.

Mohammed Ali, who was displaced from Hodeida province and now lives in al-Khokha north of Mokha, said he was considering moving his family to Aden if the fighting spread.

Ali runs a construction business and fears that another major conflict could wipe out the progress his family has made since their displacement.

“If fighting reaches Khokha,” he said, “it could destroy everything, including my future and my children’s future.”

Marib faces renewed danger

Marib has emerged as one of the key flashpoints in the latest escalation. The central province is divided between government forces and the Houthis and has repeatedly witnessed intense fighting.

The region is also home to a large displaced population. According to the International Organization for Migration, around 60 per cent of Yemen’s internally displaced people are in Marib.

Earlier this month, Houthi forces launched some of their deadliest attacks in years, killing 58 government troops, according to a military source. Most of the reported deaths occurred in oil-rich Marib province.

Two civilians were also killed the same day when Houthi shelling struck residential areas and displacement camps in Marib.

For people who have already been forced from their homes, another escalation raises a difficult question: where can they go next?

Ali Munif, 46, has lived in a displacement camp on the outskirts of Marib city since his village was captured by Houthi forces in 2021.

“If war returns to Marib, where would I flee?” he asked.

The renewed attacks have also affected civilians living close to military installations.

A woman living near one of the military camps targeted in the latest strikes told AFP that the explosions shook her home’s doors and windows.

The attacks brought back memories of the worst years of the conflict, leaving her struggling with fear, anxiety and sleeplessness.

The charity worker, who requested anonymity because of security concerns, said she now lives with the constant fear that her neighbourhood could become a target.

For Yemen’s civilians, the return of regular attacks threatens to undo the fragile stability established since the 2022 truce. Families who rebuilt their lives after years of displacement are once again preparing for the possibility that they may have to flee.

With fighting spreading and regional tensions adding to Yemen’s existing instability, residents fear that what began as renewed hostilities could once again develop into a prolonged and devastating war.