19.10.2026 13:52
In Yemen's Shabwa province, the Houthis targeted a military training camp belonging to government forces with three ballistic missiles. According to initial reports, at least 40 people were killed or injured in the attack carried out during the soldiers' morning training. While some local sources claim that the death toll has risen to 40, the attack revealed the scale of the conflicts that have intensified again in the country in recent weeks.
Clashes between Saudi Arabia-backed government forces and Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen are increasingly intensifying. The Houthis carried out a ballistic missile attack on the Al-Alam military training camp in Shabwa province in the south of the country. The attack, which occurred while soldiers were continuing training activities, caused heavy casualties.
MISSILES FELL WHILE SOLDIERS WERE IN TRAINING
According to information provided by military sources affiliated with the Yemeni government, the attack was carried out on the morning of Monday, October 19. The Houthis struck the Al-Alam military camp with ballistic missiles.
Local sources in the region reported that three ballistic missiles were used in the attack and that the missiles hit the area where soldiers were training.
Two Yemeni military officials speaking to the Associated Press said that at least 20 soldiers were killed and more than 24 were wounded in the attack. Government and health sources who spoke to Reuters, however, initially announced that at least 18 people had lost their lives.
LOCAL PRESS: DEATH TOLL RISES TO 40
Reports published in Yemeni local media shared higher figures regarding the loss of life.
In its report based on a health source at Shabwa General Hospital, Aden Time stated that by midday the bodies of 40 people had been brought to the hospital and dozens of wounded were under treatment.
Local sources reported that the condition of a significant portion of the wounded was serious, and therefore there were concerns that the death toll could rise.
However, the local information that 40 people were killed has not yet been verified by independent sources.
CLAIM THAT ABOUT 700 SOLDIERS WERE AT THE CAMP
Reports in the region alleged that the attack was carried out while the newly formed rapid response unit was training.
According to local sources, approximately 700 soldiers were participating in the training program held at the camp during the attack. However, there is no official confirmation regarding the number of soldiers at the camp.
In reports based on the account of a soldier who survived the attack, it was stated that the ballistic missiles hit the training area directly.
FLOW OF WOUNDED TO HOSPITAL
After the attack, a large number of wounded were transferred by ambulances and civilian vehicles to hospitals in Ataq, the center of Shabwa province.
Health sources speaking to local press reported that the transfer of the wounded to the hospital was continuing and that many citizens had also come to the health facility to donate blood.
It was stated that health teams were having difficulty working due to the crowding around the hospital.
HOUTHIS HAVE INCREASED ATTACKS IN RECENT DAYS
The attack in Shabwa took place at a time when the Houthis were increasing their attacks on strategic points belonging to the Yemeni government.
On October 15, the Houthis targeted the Maashiq Presidential Palace in the temporary capital, Aden, with ballistic missiles. Security guards lost their lives in the attack, while it was announced that government members were safe. The next day, missiles fell near Aden International Airport.
The Saudi-led coalition also intensified its military operations against Houthi positions. The clashes between the parties spread to different regions of the country.
CLASHES FLARED AGAIN AFTER THE 2022 CEASEFIRE
The civil war in Yemen began when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014. The Saudi-led coalition carried out a military intervention in 2015 to support the internationally recognized Yemeni government.
Clashes, which had largely decreased after the ceasefire achieved in 2022, intensified again as of July 2026. In recent months, intense clashes have occurred between the Houthis and government forces, especially along the Red Sea coast and around the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait. Millions of people in Yemen, which has been facing a severe humanitarian crisis due to years of war, are struggling with the danger of hunger and displacement. The latest attacks have increased concerns that the security and humanitarian situation in the country could deteriorate further.