At least 73 people have been killed in a Houthi attack on a government security forces training camp in Yemen’s Shabwa province, according to the provincial media office.
The death toll from Monday’s attack rose to 73 on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, while 14 people remained missing, the provincial media office said.
More than 200 people were injured in the strike, according to Shabwa Governor Awad al-Wazir.
Local authorities said three ballistic missiles hit security forces during a training exercise at the camp. Video verified by Reuters showed injured people and bodies scattered across the ground following the attack.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the camp was operated by Saudi forces. Saudi authorities had not immediately responded to a request for comment.
The attack comes amid escalating clashes between the Iran-aligned Houthi movement and Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which is backed by a Saudi-led coalition.
The two sides have exchanged attacks since September, when Houthi forces advanced towards territory near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic shipping route connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
Yemeni government forces launched an offensive this month to recapture areas held by the Houthis, reclaiming territory near the strait.
Meanwhile, Houthi forces continue to besiege Taiz, a major urban stronghold of anti-Houthi forces in Yemen’s southern highlands.
Yemen’s conflict has become another front in the wider war involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
Houthi attacks have reportedly targeted Riyadh’s international airport and Saudi Aramco facilities in Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s largest crude oil exporters.
The latest violence also raises concerns about security around Shabwa, an energy-rich coastal province overlooking the Gulf of Aden. The province hosts the Balhaf liquefied natural gas facility, Yemen’s largest industrial investment.
Yemen’s war began in 2014 when Houthi forces seized the capital, Sanaa, forcing the internationally recognised government south.
A Saudi-led military intervention followed in 2015, leading to years of fighting and a prolonged stalemate.
A truce established in 2022 held until renewed fighting this year.
Aid agencies have warned that conditions are deteriorating rapidly in Yemen, which is already facing one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.
The latest attack adds to the mounting casualties as fighting intensifies between the Houthis and government-aligned forces.
