02.11.2026 17:12
Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen targeted a health center in Lahij governorate in the southwest of the country with a missile. It was reported that at least 20 civilians were killed or injured in the attack. The attack in the area where clashes between government forces and the Houthis continue once again revealed the extent of the humanitarian crisis in the country.
A missile attack on a hospital in Yemen targeted civilians. Many people were killed or injured in the attack by Iran-backed Houthis in Lahij Governorate. Tension is increasingly rising due to ongoing clashes in the region.
THEY STRUCK THE HEALTH CENTER WITH A MISSILE
According to information reported by Saba TV, affiliated with the Yemeni government, Iran-backed Houthis carried out a missile attack on Al-Sukya Health Center in Lahij Governorate. It was stated that at least 20 people were killed or injured as a result of targeting the health center where civilians were present. While no detailed information was provided on the exact number of those killed and injured in the attack, no statement has yet come from the Houthis regarding the incident. The clashes that have increased in the region in recent weeks also bring concerns about the safety of civilians.
THE REGION WHERE THE ATTACK TOOK PLACE IS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE
Lahij Governorate, where the missile attack was carried out, is in a strategic position in terms of military balances in Yemen. The governorate, which surrounds the country's temporary capital, Aden, from the north and west, constitutes Aden's first line of defense. Lahij is important not only because it is located on the main land transport route connecting Aden to other governorates, but also because of its proximity to the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden. This position makes the region one of the critical points in the struggle between government forces and the Houthis.
FIERCE CLASHES HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE IN RECENT WEEKS
In Al-Mudaraba District, where the attack took place, fierce clashes have been occurring between forces affiliated with the Yemeni government and the Houthis in recent weeks. While most of the governorate is under the control of government forces, the Houthis maintain a presence in some points of Mudaraba, Kubayta, and Makatira districts. Military activity in the region directly affects not only the forces on the front line but also the civilian population caught in the middle of the clashes. The latest attack on the health center has once again revealed how fragile the security conditions in Yemen are.
THE YEMEN DAWN OPERATION HAD BEEN LAUNCHED
Rashad al-Alimi, Chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, announced on October 5, 2026, that a military operation called "Yemen Dawn" had been launched. The main goal of the operation was announced as bringing state institutions and the capital Sana'a, controlled by the Houthis, back under government control. The struggle between the Houthis, who have kept Sana'a and many parts of the country under control since September 2014, and government forces is at the center of the political and military crisis in Yemen.
MORE THAN 250,000 PEOPLE HAVE FLED THEIR HOMES
According to United Nations (UN) reports, thousands of people were killed or injured in the clashes that escalated again in July 2026. Due to the increasing violence, more than 250,000 people were forced to leave the areas where they lived. The end of the relative calm that had prevailed in the country since April 2022 further worsened the humanitarian crisis that has continued for years. The fact that health centers have also become targets of attacks raises serious concerns regarding civilians affected by the clashes accessing health services.