Monthly Briefing/ July – 2025

Military tensions escalated in July, with an increase in maritime and aerial confrontations and the return of Houthi attacks on ships, bringing renewed international focus to the Yemen file. Iranian coordination with the Houthis became more apparent, prompting targeted responses from Washington and Tel Aviv, while the UN warned of mounting environmental and security risks.

• July 7: The United States condemned a Houthi attack on the “MV Magic Seas” in the Red Sea, calling it a serious escalation and a threat to maritime security and global trade. The attack involved drones, missiles and explosives-laden boats.
• July 9: Germany accused China of using a laser to target one of its aircraft during a European mission to secure Red Sea navigation. The incident occurred during a reconnaissance flight over Yemeni waters in early July, and Berlin described it as serious and unacceptable. In response, Germany summoned the Chinese ambassador.
• July 9: The Houthis claimed responsibility for sinking the cargo ship “MV Tutor” (MV Eternity Sea) with a drone boat and six ballistic missiles, alleging the vessel was heading to an Israeli port. The attack killed four crew members and left 14 missing, triggering UN warnings of a dangerous escalation and potential environmental risks.
• July 10: Rescue teams recovered four survivors from the “MV Eternity Sea” crew, while 11 are still missing; it’s believed that Houthis are holding six out of that 11. The attack, which ended months of relative calm, sparked global concern over seafarer safety and maritime navigation.
• July 16: The National Resistance Forces, led by Brigadier General Tareq Saleh, announced that they had intercepted a shipment of 750 tons of Iranian weapons en route to the Houthis. The cache included naval and aerial missiles, air defense systems, drones and surveillance equipment, following a coordinated intelligence and naval operation.
• July 17: U.S. Central Command confirmed that the seized shipment held hundreds of advanced Iranian-made cruise missiles, guidance systems, engines and drones, calling it one of the largest interceptions of the war.
• July 21: Israeli drones carried out air strikes on Houthi positions in Hudaydah and Yemen’s western coast, targeting vessels, equipment and military infrastructure. Israel’s defense minister warned the Houthis that there would be a “heavy price” for their missile attacks, declaring Yemen’s fate would mirror Iran’s.

July 25: Ten government soldiers were killed while repelling a major Houthi assault on military positions at the Alib front, north of Saada. Dozens of Houthi fighters were killed or wounded, and three of their vehicles were destroyed.

The security situation in Yemen during July was marked by rising internal unrest, growing cyber-threats and increased Houthi infiltration. Tensions flared in Aden, Mahrah and Al-Bayda, while local confrontations with the Houthis escalated, reflecting growing public anger against the de facto authorities.

• July 8: Local authorities closed the Sarfait border crossing with Oman following clashes between security forces and gunmen suspected of links to the Houthis. The violence, which erupted after the arrest of pro-Houthi tribal leader Mohammed Al-Zaidi, left one officer dead and several injured, prompting military reinforcement in the area.

• • July 20: The U.S. Embassy praised Yemeni army forces for seizing 16,000 Captagon pills, allegedly produced by the Houthis, at the Al-Wadea border crossing. The operation was hailed as a step toward combating drug trafficking and cutting off Houthi funding. Days earlier, activists had reported the seizure of 5,300 hashish pills, though without official comment.

• July 26: Fierce clashes broke out in the city of Rada’a, Al-Bayda Governorate, between local fighters and Houthi forces, after a tribal mediation deal collapsed. Three people, including two civilians, were killed, as the Houthis imposed a siege and blocked aid meant for the wounded. Residents called for urgent intervention to stop the violence.

• July 27: A group calling itself “S4uD1Pwnz” claimed responsibility for a cyberattack that disrupted telecom servers in Houthi-controlled areas. The group claimed it had accessed sensitive data — including from the Central Bank and financial networks — and warned of more cyber disruptions, amid Israeli calls for digital strikes against the Houthis.

July 29: The city of Mukalla and other coastal areas in Hadhramaut witnessed a third consecutive day of mass protests over power outages and failing services. Public anger escalated into widespread civil disobedience, roadblocks and calls for sweeping change. Plus, security forces reportedly injured one protester.

The economic situation in Yemen witnessed a dangerous escalation in monetary division during July, following the Houthis’ issuance of new currency and the internationally recognized government’s rejection of it — deepening the ongoing financial crisis. The Yemeni riyal also saw an unprecedented depreciation amid government paralysis and international warnings of an imminent collapse, calling for a resumption of oil exports and the unification of financial policies.

• July 2: The Houthi group abducted seven individuals — including academics and teachers — in the Al-Udayn district, in western Ibb Governorate, as part of an escalating campaign of arbitrary arrests in the governorate. Human rights organizations documented over 2,200 violations in the region within one year.

• July 2: Houthi forces stormed the home of 70-year-old Yemeni scholar Sheikh Saleh Hantous, who was a teacher, in Raymah Governorate and killed him after a full-day siege. They refused to allow medical aid for his injured wife or deliver assistance to his family. The attack reportedly followed his continued teaching of the Qur’an in a mosque after Houthi authorities closed the local religious school.

• • July 7: The Houthis continued a wide-scale arrest campaign in Ibb Governorate, targeting academics, educators, and civil servants, including Dr. Mohammed Al-Falahi and engineer Hamoud Al-Shahari. They were transferred to the Political Security prison. The Rasd Coalition reported 51 abduction cases and the displacement of 160 civilians in June 2025, alone.

• July 7: An economic meeting chaired by Dr. Rashad al-Alimi, president of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), approved a series of measures to counter the currency’s collapse and improve government performance, amid warnings over the consequences of halted oil exports.

• • July 9: The U.S. Embassy accused the Houthis of kidnapping several crew members from the “Eternity C” vessel after they survived a sinking incident in the Red Sea. The embassy demanded their immediate release, while the Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, alleging the ship was heading to an Israeli port.

• July 12: The Houthi-run Central Bank in Sana’a announced the minting of a new 50-riyal coin, to be circulated starting Sunday. The bank claimed the move aimed to replace damaged banknotes and strengthen public confidence in the national currency, insisting it would not increase the money supply or affect exchange rates. However, this step is expected to further deepen Yemen’s financial divide.

• July 13: The Central Bank in Aden rejected the Houthi-issued coin, labeling it as “counterfeit” and warning of its use. It described the act as a dangerous escalation that threatens the national economy and undermines the UN-brokered economic agreement, deeming it to be part of the Houthis’ economic warfare and looting of citizens’ savings.

• July 14: The Yemen Bank for Reconstruction and Development announced the relocation of its headquarters and general administration from Sana’a to the interim capital, Aden. The move comes in response to directives from the Central Bank in Aden and international obligations, following the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s designation of the bank as a sanctioned entity.

• July 14: The family of Sheikh Saleh Hantous stated that the Houthi militia had targeted him for over a decade and ultimately assassinated him earlier this month following repeated military campaigns. He had refused to turn Qur’an memorization circles into sectarian platforms. His family called for accountability and documentation of the crime as part of a broader war on education and religious instruction.

• • July 15: Ambassadors from the European Union, France, the Netherlands and Germany affirmed that the Central Bank in Aden is the sole legitimate authority authorized to issue legal currency in Yemen. They described the Houthis’ issuance of coins and banknotes as “illegal counterfeiting” and expressed their support for economic stability and the bank’s independent mandate.
  • July 15: Next, the Houthi-run Central Bank in Sana’a announced the release of another kind of new currency — 200-riyal banknotes — just days after introducing a 50-riyal coin. This move came despite warnings from the internationally recognized government, which labeled the act as reckless escalation and currency forgery. The announcement coincided with UN calls urging restraint and adherence to the economic truce.

• July 17: The Yemeni riyal continued its sharp decline, reaching record lows — exceeding 2,900 riyals per U.S. dollar and 765 riyals per Saudi riyal in Ma’rib and other governorates. The collapse followed the circulation of counterfeit currency by the Houthis and triggered international appeals for economic support and efforts to counter the Houthis’ economic aggression.

• July 17: UN Envoy Hans Grundberg expressed deep concern over the Houthis’ minting of coins and printing of new banknotes. He warned that such actions risk destabilizing Yemen’s fragile economy and fragmenting its monetary framework. Grundberg called the move a breach of the July 2024 understandings and urged renewed coordination and dialogue to restore stability and provide urgent humanitarian aid.

• July 22: The U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on individuals and entities linked to the Houthis, including companies based in Yemen and the UAE—most notably “Arkan Mars” and “Amran Cement.” The Treasury accused them of financing terrorism and laundering money, stating that the group collects hundreds of millions through fuel levies. It pledged to disrupt the Houthis’ financial networks, which it said pose a threat to regional stability.

• July 23: The Central Bank of Yemen revoked the licenses of 13 exchange companies and outlets, including the prominent networks “Al-Najm” and “Yemen Express,” for violating regulatory instructions, as per the bank’s Governor Decision No. 7 of 2025. The move followed an oversight report and came amid a severe depreciation of the national currency and exchange rate volatility — approaching 2,900 riyals per U.S. dollar.

• • July 25: Central Bank Governor Ahmed Ghaleb Al-Mabaqi warned of an imminent economic collapse due to the depletion of sovereign revenues and the absence of an official state budget. He called for an urgent national response, including the resumption of oil exports and revenue unification, and urged action to curb any Houthi interference in the currency market to safeguard monetary and economic stability.

• July 23: The Houthis abducted 83 civilians in Ibb since March, including teachers, students, and doctors, and established 12 secret detention facilities where detainees are reportedly subjected to physical and psychological torture. According to a Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms report carried out 342 raids and 18 cases of looting in what appears to be a systematic campaign to terrorize society and silence dissent.

July 29: Between 19 and 25 July, the Masam Project cleared 1,151 explosive devices, including 1,093 unexploded ordnance and 49 anti-tank mines, while demining an area of 186,000 square meters. The total number of devices cleared in July reached 4,852, bringing the overall total since the project’s launch in 2018 to over 507,000 explosive items.

July witnessed a sharp escalation in human rights violations, especially in Houthi-controlled areas, with increased cases of abduction, torture, and targeting of academics and educators. Shocking crimes against civilians emerged amid judicial inaction and the expansion of secret prisons, alongside growing international calls for accountability and deterrence.

2 July: The Houthis abducted seven people, including academics and teachers, in Al-Udayn district, Ibb, as part of an escalating campaign of arbitrary arrests. Rights organizations documented over 2,200 violations in one year.

2 July: Houthis stormed the house of Sheikh Saleh Hantous in Raymah, killing him after a day-long siege. His injured wife was denied medical help, and aid was blocked from reaching the family. The attack followed his continued teaching of Quran after the closure of a Quranic school.

7 July: Widespread abductions by the Houthis in Ibb targeted academics, teachers, and civil servants, transferring them to the Political Security Prison. The Rassd Organization reported 51 abductions and 160 displaced civilians in June.

9 July: The US embassy accused the Houthis of abducting crew members from the “Eternity C” vessel after they survived a shipwreck in the Red Sea, demanding their immediate release. The Houthis claimed the ship was headed to an Israeli port.

23 July: Houthis abducted 83 civilians in Ibb since March, including teachers, students, and doctors. They set up 12 secret prisons where detainees are subjected to physical and psychological abuse. The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms documented 342 raids and 18 cases of looting, amid a campaign of intimidation.

29 July: The Masam Project cleared 1,151 explosive devices (1,093 unexploded ordnance and 49 anti-tank mines) between 19–25 July, covering 186,000 m². In July, 4,852 devices were cleared, with the project’s total since 2018 exceeding 507,000 devices.

• July 1: The World Food Programme warned of an imminent famine threatening more than 18 million Yemenis between September 2025 and February 2026, due to a sharp decline in aid and worsening economic conditions.

July 23: The American Center for Justice appealed to U.S. authorities to rescue 110 families of Yemeni embassy staff stranded in Cairo, warning of dire humanitarian conditions that have already claimed the lives of four heads of households.

• July 15: The 2025 Balda Festival kicked off in Mukalla with wide official and public participation. The festivities included traditional, sports, and cultural performances amid celebratory and well-secured conditions.

July 26: More than 80 dolphins were found dead along the shores of Socotra Island in June — the largest incident of its kind in recent years. A study attributed the mass deaths to chemical pollution, climate change, disrupted ocean currents and human activities that impact the sensitive marine environment and dolphin migration.