Deadly Houthi Strike on Yemeni Coastal Town Leaves Four Dead

Yemen's internationally recognized government confirmed …

Yemen's internationally recognized government confirmed on Wednesday that a missile attack by the Iran-aligned Houthi movement on the Red Sea port town of al-Makha killed at least four people. The strike, which hit a residential area near the harbor, marks the latest escalation in a conflict that has simmered for years but has seen renewed violence in recent weeks.

Local officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the attack occurred in the early morning hours, leveling two homes and damaging nearby shops. Emergency crews recovered four bodies from the rubble, with at least seven others wounded, some in critical condition. The death toll is expected to rise as search operations continue, according to a medical source at the town's main hospital.

The Houthi group, which controls the capital Sanaa and much of Yemen's north and west, has not claimed responsibility for the strike. However, the government's information ministry issued a statement condemning the attack as a "cowardly terrorist act" and accused Tehran of supplying the rebels with advanced weaponry used in such assaults.

Al-Makha, historically a key coffee export hub, has

Al-Makha, historically a key coffee export hub, has become a flashpoint in the broader struggle for control of Yemen's vital shipping lanes along the Red Sea. The town changed hands several times during the early years of the civil war, and its strategic port has been a target for both sides seeking to disrupt supply routes.

The escalation comes amid faltering UN-led peace efforts, with both parties entrenched in their positions. The internationally recognized government, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, has warned that continued Houthi aggression threatens to reignite a full-scale conflict, while the rebels accuse the coalition of imposing a blockade that has worsened humanitarian conditions.

Residents of al-Makha, many of whom had returned to the town after a fragile truce last year, now face renewed fears of displacement. "We thought the worst was over," said one local shopkeeper, who asked not to be named. "But now, we are back to the same nightmare." The attack underscores the fragile security situation in Yemen, where millions remain dependent on aid and the risk of broader regional conflagration persists.