Yemenis Fear Return to Full-Scale War as Houthi-Government Fighting Intensifies

Yemenis are increasingly worried that renewed fighting between Houthi rebels and the internationally recognized government could plunge the country back into a full-scale war, reviving memories of years of violence, displacement and humanitarian suffering.

Yemen’s long-running civil conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced millions and pushed the country toward famine. A truce in 2022 brought relative calm to many parts of the country, but recent clashes and attacks have raised fears that the fragile stability could collapse.

Anwar, a father of two from Hodeida, previously fled the advance of Houthi forces and sought safety in the western port city of Mokha. Last week, explosions shook the city after the rebels targeted Mokha port, renewing his fears of another wave of violence and displacement.

“I do not want our lives to be haunted by constant panic caused by Houthi terror. Mokha used to be a safe city and a haven for many Yemenis,” Anwar told AFP.

He said his greatest concern was not his own safety but the safety of his children and family.

His three-year-old daughter was born after the 2022 truce and has no memory of war. When explosions sounded, she ran to her father and asked what was happening. Anwar said he could not bring himself to explain the situation and instead told her the sounds were fireworks for a wedding.

Another Mokha resident, Najem Hammoud al-Wahbani, said residents now live with constant fear.

“Everyone lives in fear,” he said, describing missiles and drones flying overhead and distant shelling that residents worry could soon reach their neighborhoods.

The latest escalation came after the Houthis welcomed an Iranian aircraft in the capital Sanaa last month, followed by a series of retaliatory attacks. The Houthis later announced a maritime blockade targeting Saudi Arabia, a major backer of Yemen’s government, and carried out attacks in the Red Sea and against government forces.

Mohammed Ali, who was displaced from Hodeida province to al-Khokha, north of Mokha, is considering moving his family farther east to Aden.

He said that if fighting reaches al-Khokha, where he operates a construction business, it could destroy everything he has built and jeopardize the future of his children.

The Houthis have also increased attacks against Saudi-backed government forces in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Houthi attacks reportedly killed 58 government troops, mainly in the oil-rich Marib province, according to a military source. Two civilians were also killed in shelling that struck residential areas and displacement camps in the province.

Marib has become one of the main flashpoints in the conflict because the province is divided between government and Houthi forces. It is also home to around 60 percent of Yemen’s internally displaced population, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Ali Munif, 46, has been living in a displacement camp outside Marib city since Houthi forces seized his village in 2021. He now fears that renewed fighting could leave him with nowhere else to go.

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

Residents living near military targets have also described renewed trauma following the recent attacks. One mother living near a military camp told AFP that explosions shook the doors and windows of her home like an earthquake.

The attacks, she said, brought back the fear, anxiety and despair she experienced during the height of Yemen’s war.

The woman, who works for a charity, said she has struggled to sleep since the attacks and now fears that she and her family could become targets at any moment.

For millions of Yemenis who have already experienced years of conflict and displacement, the latest escalation is raising fears that the relative calm of recent years could give way once again to widespread violence and another humanitarian crisis.

Source: AFP