Yemen · Full chronicle and history

Yemen's Houthi forces fired three ballistic missiles at a government military camp in Shabwa Province on October 19, killing at least 53 soldiers and injuring more than 200 recruits.

According to The Guardian, alarmed by the Houthi advance, the UAE has agreed to re-engage in the Yemen conflict by resuming funding for anti-Houthi forces. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia will provide air cover for the relevant military operations. The move marks a strategic shift by Gulf states on the Yemen situation, aimed at curbing further Houthi expansion.

According to @clashreport, Houthi forces released a video showing an AH-6i helicopter of the Saudi National Guard being struck by a loitering munition over Saudi Arabia's Najran Province. The Saudi side has acknowledged that the helicopter crashed, killing two crew members, but Saudi officials claim the crash was caused by a technical malfunction.

According to a report by the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), on Beijing time October 17, 2026, a liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker was attacked approximately 140 nautical miles southeast of Al Mukalla, Yemen. The attackers were aboard a small vessel carrying 7 people and opened fire on the tanker. There are currently no further detailed reports of casualties or damage to the vessel.

According to Radio France Internationale, Houthi forces launched a missile attack on the seat of the Yemeni government on October 16, 2026. The attack killed at least four people. The relevant casualties and the follow-up impact are still being further assessed.

According to Radio France Internationale (RFI), the Yemeni government has formally expressed concern to the Chinese government over the Houthis' suspected use of Chinese-made technology to produce weapons. The question of the origin of the relevant weapons technology has drawn attention and diplomatic engagement regarding the regional situation.

On October 15, 2026 Beijing time, X user LuJun Quan (@QuanLujun) posted that Yahya Saree, official spokesman of the Houthi armed group, has died. This news has not yet been confirmed by other authoritative media or Houthi official channels, and the specifics await further verification.

On October 15, 2026, according to Yemen's Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree and related released video footage, the Houthi forces used a surface-to-air missile over Saada, Yemen, to successfully intercept and shoot down a Royal Saudi Air Force Typhoon fighter jet taking off from Taif Air Base.

According to clashreport, on October 15, 2026 Beijing time, Yemen's Houthi forces launched several ballistic missiles at the al-Maashiq Presidential Palace, the seat of the internationally recognized government in Aden. Local sources said four explosions occurred near the complex, and footage from the scene showed thick smoke rising over the area.

The UN stated that intense fighting in Yemen has cut off aid routes for 800,000 people in Taiz Province, leading to shortages of basic supplies.

According to @clashreport, the Houthis are attempting to build an advanced missile modeled on Iran's Kheibar Shekan and plan to use parts from China. The missile is reportedly capable of striking all of Saudi Arabia and Israel.

On October 14, Yemeni Foreign Minister Zubaidi confirmed to AFP that the Yemeni government has approached Beijing over allegations that Houthi forces used Chinese components to manufacture weapons; the weapons investigation organization CAR disclosed that among the seized cargo were custom parts corresponding to Iranian ballistic missiles, and the shipping documents listed a Chinese supplier, but the tracing has not yet been verified, and the existing materials are insufficient to prove the involvement of the Chinese government in supplying weapons.

The Egyptian Foreign Minister held a phone call with the Iranian Foreign Minister, calling on the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels to immediately cease attacks on Saudi Arabia and prioritize diplomacy.

At 21:22 Beijing time on October 13, 2026, the @clashreport account posted a message stating that Yemen's Houthi forces have named three Saudi targets and will retaliate against them if the coalition carries out airstrikes on oil depots in Sanaa. The retaliation targets include: Saudi Aramco headquarters in Dammam, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, and a Saudi Aramco refinery in Riyadh.

At 20:55 Beijing time on October 13, 2026, the Saudi-led coalition issued an urgent warning, calling on civilians at the site of Al-Sabaha, a major Yemeni oil company in Sanaa, Yemen, to evacuate immediately. The warning was widely seen as a clear signal that the coalition was about to launch an airstrike on the facility. The operation is a continuation of Yemen's long-running conflict, raising international concern over the security of local energy infrastructure and the risk of civilian casualties.

After launching a large-scale offensive, Yemeni forces have recaptured the Red Sea port city of Mocha as well as strategic territory overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

On September 15, a fire broke out near the YASREF refinery in the Yanbu Industrial City of Saudi Arabia, and personnel were evacuated, suspected of being attacked by Houthi forces. The plant is a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Sinopec, making it China's largest investment project in Saudi Arabia and a landmark project for Belt and Road energy cooperation. Officials have not yet confirmed the details of the attack.

On September 16, Saudi Arabia and the Houthi rebels in Yemen launched a new round of mutual airstrikes: the Houthis fired dozens of ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu and attacked the Khamis Mushait airbase; the Saudi-backed Yemeni authorities reported airstrikes on Houthi targets in Taiz and Marib provinces. The Houthis claimed that Saudi Arabia had launched over 450 airstrikes this week and shot down an F-15, which has not been independently verified.

The United Nations says as many as 125,000 people were displaced by the war in Yemen in September 2026, and Houthi offensives in Yemen have led to large areas along the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait being occupied.

Houthi forces attacked four Saudi cities, injuring at least more than 70 people and causing fires at Saudi energy facilities, which the Saudi Ministry of Energy confirmed. Saudi Arabia said it would take measures to retaliate. Previously, the US military stated that Saudi Arabia should handle the Houthi issue on its own.

The Iran-aligned Yemeni Houthi movement attacked the Tanzania-flagged cargo ship Tihama in the Red Sea, resulting in at least three deaths.

An Iranian shadow tanker, which was sanctioned by the United States last year, departed from an Omani port bound for Port Sudan. While sailing near Yemeni waters, it was hijacked by Somali pirates, and multiple Indian crew members on board have lost contact.

Trump warned that if attacks on Red Sea merchant ships continue, the United States will impose significant military punishment on Iran and its Houthi allies in Yemen.