Monthly Briefing/ August 2026

August can be described as marking a shift in the Yemeni crisis from fragile de-escalation to a period of mounting tension. This came amid escalating military confrontations between the Yemeni army and the Houthi group, alongside significant regional developments, most notably the Mecca Defense Agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, as well as repeated UN warnings of a collapse in de-escalation and a return to full-scale war. 

• In an extraordinary meeting, the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) reaffirmed the unity of the Council and the government and the continuation of reforms. It held the Iran-aligned Houthi group responsible for targeting an Indian vessel in the Red Sea and called on the international community to take firmer measures to protect navigation and hold those responsible for the attacks accountable. August 4.
• PLC Chairman Rashad al-Alimi issued decrees appointing Maj. Gen. Pilot Abdulaziz Saeed Hazaa al-Muhaya as Commander of the Air Force and Air Defense, and Col. Pilot Nasher Mansour Salem Bajri as its Chief of Staff, promoting him to the rank of brigadier general. He also appointed Brig. Gen. Yahya Mohammed Yahya Kazman and Brig. Gen. Ahmed Saad Ahmed al-Socotri as deputy heads of the Internal Security and External Security sectors, respectively, at the Central State Security Agency. Maj. Gen. Ahmed Saeed Mohammed bin Breik and Maj. Gen. Rashid Nasser Ali al-Jund were appointed as advisers to the PLC Chairman and promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. August 5.
• The “dissolved” Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Aden called for peaceful civil disobedience to demand improved services, the payment of salaries, and an end to the deterioration in living conditions. A similar call was made in Hadramawt, focusing on the management of the governorate’s oil resources and public services. August 7.
• UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg warned of the growing risk of Yemen sliding once again into a wider conflict following the military escalation in Marib, Hadramawt, the western coast in Mokha, and the Red Sea. He called on the parties to exercise restraint and avoid steps that could widen the confrontation. August 8.
• UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg warned the Security Council that Yemen was facing its gravest risk of returning to full-scale war since the 2022 truce, amid escalating ground operations, missile and maritime attacks, and diminishing prospects for de-escalation. August 13.
• Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Afrah al-Zouba discussed bilateral relations with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, as well as the Houthi military escalation, threats to the Red Sea and international navigation, and ways to strengthen cooperation and support Yemen’s security and stability. August 16.
• PLC Chairman Rashad al-Alimi discussed bilateral cooperation, maritime security, and Houthi escalation with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. Tokyo reaffirmed its continued support for the Yemeni government and for strengthening the capabilities of the Yemeni Coast Guard. August 18.
• The National Defense Council directed the expansion of air and missile deterrence operations against sources of Houthi threats, increased military and security readiness, stronger early-warning systems, greater protection of vital facilities, and intensified intelligence work against smuggling and supply networks. August 18.
• The Presidential Leadership Council approved additional “deterrence” measures against the Houthis, including pre-emptive action against sources of threat, military capabilities, and command centers. It stressed that attacks on cities, civilians, and facilities would be met with measures that would raise the cost of escalation. August 25.

The Houthis pushed the military escalation to its broadest level in years, expanding attacks beyond the frontlines to cities, ports, military bases, and maritime routes. Government forces, in turn, increased their use of drones and long-range strikes against Houthi positions across several fronts, marking a noticeable shift in both the scale and methods of the fighting.

• The Houthi group claimed that it had targeted the oil tanker Daisy in the Gulf of Aden with a ballistic missile, saying the vessel had been hit. No independent Saudi confirmation was issued regarding the outcome of the attack. The claim came as the group expanded its declared threats against shipping linked to Saudi Arabia. August 5.
• At least 30 soldiers from the National Army were killed in missile and drone attacks targeting military camps and positions in Marib and Hadramawt, in one of the fiercest waves of field escalation since the 2022 truce. August 6.
• The Ministry of Defense vowed to respond to Houthi ballistic missile and drone attacks that targeted military camps and units in Marib and Hadramawt, stressing that the response would come “at the appropriate time and place.” August 6.
• The National Army, representing government forces, carried out a military operation targeting Houthi positions and capabilities across several fronts along the lines of contact. It said the operation came in response to attacks targeting its forces and civilians in Marib and Hadramawt. August 8.
• The Houthis launched a large-scale ballistic missile and drone attack on Mokha city, its port, and military and civilian sites. According to government media, seven people were killed and around 30 others were wounded, while infrastructure and property were damaged. August 9.
• The Houthis renewed ballistic missile and drone attacks on Mokha city and port, as well as residential neighborhoods in Marib. Government air defenses said they intercepted a number of drones, with no final casualty figures announced. August 11.
• The Houthis targeted the cargo vessel Tihama, owned by a Yemeni businessman, in the Bab al-Mandab Strait with three ballistic missiles. According to the Coast Guard and Yemeni authorities, six people were killed, including four crew members, and ten others were wounded. The rescue operation was also targeted with an additional missile. August 11.
• The National Army and allied forces expanded their use of drones to target Houthi positions and movements in Saada, Al-Dhalea, Marib, Shabwa, Taiz, the western coast, and Al-Jawf, as the Houthis held funerals for 81 fighters since the beginning of the month. August 12.
• Two soldiers were killed and 15 others wounded in a drone attack targeting a camp belonging to the Third Division of the Nation’s Shield Forces, which are aligned with the internationally recognized government, in the Al-Abr desert of Hadramawt, according to military sources. August 13.
• The fronts in Taiz, Lahj, and Hodeidah witnessed attacks, infiltration attempts, and simultaneous clashes between government forces and the Houthis, amid an expansion in the scope of field escalation and continued drone use along several lines of contact. August 13.
• Naval forces and the Coast Guard destroyed three Houthi explosive-laden boats in the Red Sea, including one equipped with systems for launching drones, according to a statement by government forces, which also reported that a number of Houthi fighters had been killed or wounded. August 13.
• The Houthis fired six ballistic missiles at Mokha Port and surrounding areas. According to the Yemeni government, four civilians were killed and port facilities, ships, and civilian boats were damaged. August 14.
• The Houthis targeted Marib city with four consecutive missile attacks over roughly half an hour. Two ballistic missiles were also reported to have been launched from Al-Mahwit city toward the governorate, with no final casualty figures announced. August 15.
• The National Army and allied forces carried out 181 military operations targeting Houthi positions and sources of threat in several governorates. They said the operations killed and wounded Houthi fighters and destroyed vehicles, equipment, and weapons depots. August 16.
• The Houthis targeted Marib city with six ballistic missiles and four drones. According to local authorities, civilians were wounded and homes, vehicles, and other property were damaged, including a bakery in Al-Sharika neighborhood in the north of the city. August 16.
• Clashes resumed between government forces and the Houthis on fronts in Taiz and Lahj, alongside the detection of a Houthi drone over Bab al-Mandab and continued military tension along the western coast. August 17.
• The National Resistance Forces led by Brig. Gen. Tariq Saleh said technical examinations of missile debris from attacks on Mokha and the western coast showed that the weapons were Iranian-made Fateh-110 ballistic missiles. The solid-fuel missiles have a range of around 300 kilometers. August 18.
• The Houthis claimed to have carried out two drone attacks against a target inside Najran Airport and an Aramco facility in the Saudi city. No independent Saudi confirmation was issued regarding whether the attacks had taken place or their outcome. August 20.
• A Patriot air-defense system operated by Greek forces in Saudi Arabia intercepted a swarm of drones believed to belong to the Houthis near oil refining facilities in Yanbu, launching three missiles in coordination with Saudi defenses. The source and number of the drones were not disclosed. August 27.
• Mokha Port Director Abdulmalik al-Sharabi said the port and the Bab al-Mandab harbor had been subjected to around 35 Houthi missile and drone strikes, killing 16 people and wounding 22. He said the attacks had put the port out of service and estimated the cost of rehabilitation and construction of a new berth at around $79 million. August 29.

The military escalation was accompanied by rising security risks in government-held areas, particularly in Hadramawt, Shabwa, and along maritime routes. Reports of cells, assassinations, and attempts to target military commanders also increased. At the same time, there were indications that Houthi-linked networks were operating beyond Yemen, although some claims concerning the group’s regional activity remain difficult to verify independently.

• Iraqi journalist Othman al-Mukhtar published information alleging that senior Houthi military and security figures were present in Iraq under the protection of factions within the Popular Mobilization Forces. According to his account, Baghdad, Najaf, and Karbala were being used as bases for residence and movement, with travel routes passing through Oman. August 1.
• Hadramawt’s Security Committee announced the arrest of the main suspects in the assassination of journalist Mohammed Aydha and referred the case to the Specialized Criminal Prosecution. It said investigations and forensic evidence pointed to a Houthi-linked cell involved in planning, financing, and carrying out the killing. August 1.
• Osama al-Radfani, commander of the Fourth Brigade of the Nation’s Shield Forces, and two of his escorts were killed in an armed ambush in Hadramawt. Security and military forces subsequently launched operations to track down those suspected of involvement. August 1.
• Brig. Gen. Ali Abu Bakr al-Sulaimani, commander of the Second Marine Infantry Brigade, survived an assassination attempt after his convoy came under fire in the Bir Ali area of Shabwa. Forces from the brigade began pursuing the attackers and investigating the incident. August 11.
• Six Somali pirates seized the Eritrean-flagged fuel tanker Sibo 1 around 252 kilometers east of Mukalla and diverted it toward the coast of Puntland with 20 sailors on board, marking a renewed instance of piracy activity off Yemen’s coast. August 22.

The military escalation unfolded against continued economic and institutional fragility. At the same time, the month saw efforts to reorganize the financial sector, modernize payment systems, and tighten oversight of exchange companies. Damage to Mokha Port and the continued shutdown of Aden Refinery, however, underscored the lasting impact of war and resource shortages on critical economic assets.

• The Central Bank of Yemen in Aden opened the founding assembly of the Yemen Payments and Clearing Company, a step aimed at modernizing the national payments infrastructure, expanding financial inclusion and digitalization, and improving payment and settlement systems between financial institutions. August 3.
• A recent economic report found that Aden Refinery remains unable to resume oil refining after more than a decade of suspension. Key obstacles include technical rehabilitation needs, financing for the power station, reliable crude oil supplies, and sufficient operating capital. Current activity remains limited to storage and asphalt production. August 13.
• Mokha Port’s director said seven people had been killed and the port had suffered around $16 million in direct losses from a series of missile attacks. Operations had come to a complete halt, with facilities, equipment, and vessels damaged and the livelihoods of around 1,300 workers affected. August 15.
• An academic study concluded that foreign-currency auctions conducted by the Central Bank between 2021 and 2025 did not have a statistically significant independent effect on exchange-rate stability, despite $3.735 billion being offered and bids totaling $2.432 billion. August 18.
• The Central Bank suspended the licenses of two exchange companies and one exchange establishment and ordered their premises closed after regulatory inspections found violations. The measures were part of a broader campaign to regulate the foreign-exchange and remittance market and enforce compliance with financial-sector rules. August 20.
• The Central Bank suspended the licenses of Al-Shawahi Exchange Company, Abu Saleh Exchange Establishment, and two remittance agents and ordered their offices closed over regulatory violations. The latest measures brought the number of exchange companies and establishments whose licenses had been suspended or withdrawn since the start of the campaign to 106. August 27.

The escalation had a direct impact on civilians, through attacks on cities and displacement camps as well as continued detention, recruitment, and mobilization. Military activity increasingly extended into civilian, educational, and rights-related spaces, raising further concerns over civilian protection and safeguards for detainees.

• Local reports said schools in Sana’a enrolled students, including some in the early stages of schooling, in closed training courses that included weapons instruction. Parents were reportedly not informed in advance about the location or duration of the courses, which formed part of Houthi mobilization campaigns. August 13.
• The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights documented the deaths of seven civilians and injuries to at least ten others in government-held areas as a result of Houthi attacks since August 6. Incidents included attacks on the Jaw al-Naseem displacement camp in Marib, Mokha Port, and other civilian areas. August 17.
• Four civilians, including a child, were killed in Houthi missile and artillery shelling of Al-Khokha district in southern Hodeidah. Other attacks also damaged homes and civilian property in parts of the western coast and Taiz. August 18.
• The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms said it had documented around 59,000 civilian deaths and injuries attributed to the Houthis since 2015, resulting from shelling, sniper fire, landmines, improvised explosive devices, and unexploded ordnance. August 22.
• Houthi authorities referred the cases of at least six detainees to the Specialized Criminal Prosecution in Sana’a, including a UN employee, a UN adviser, and three workers with civil society organizations. Human Rights Watch said their detention had lacked basic legal safeguards. August 25.
• The Abductees’ Mothers Association said 221 people remained forcibly disappeared in Yemen, including 143 held by the Houthis and 78 in Aden. It called for disclosure of their whereabouts, access for their families, investigations into the disappearances, and accountability for those responsible. August 26.
• A UN report said nine civilians had been killed and 54 others wounded in Houthi attacks on Marib, Taiz, and Mokha. The attacks also displaced 162 families, temporarily halted operations at Mokha Port, and damaged infrastructure, basic services, and sites hosting displaced people. August 26.
• The Media Freedoms Observatory documented 61 violations of media freedom in Yemen during the first half of 2026, including two killings, 11 cases of arrest and arbitrary detention, and 19 cases of digital violence targeting female journalists and media workers. August 27.

The latest escalation added further strain to communities already facing collapsing services, disease outbreaks, and declining humanitarian funding. Beyond the food crisis, heavy rains, epidemics, and pressure on health institutions created additional challenges, while displacement, migration, and voluntary refugee returns continued amid limited response capacity.

• The death toll from lightning strikes, flooding, and drowning incidents rose to 21 within one week, following fatalities in Amran, Taiz, and other governorates. The incidents came amid heavy thunderstorms and repeated warnings over the risk of flash floods. August 15.
• The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) announced the voluntary return of 155 Somali refugees from Yemen to Somalia under an assisted return program. The group arrived safely in Mogadishu in coordination with the authorities and humanitarian partners. August 17.
• Government-held areas recorded 16,236 measles cases and 93 deaths from the beginning of the year through the end of July, according to a health official. The figures came amid warnings over declining vaccination coverage and difficulties accessing vaccines and health services. August 17.
• A total of 183 contracted nurses at Seiyun General Hospital Authority submitted collective resignations over delayed financial dues and the failure to implement previous agreements to improve their working conditions, raising concerns over the hospital’s ability to maintain services. August 23.
• A joint report by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Yemen Red Crescent Society said that heavy rains, floods, lightning strikes, storms, and house collapses had killed 74 people and injured 37 others since the beginning of July. Around 7,680 families, representing more than 53,000 people, were affected. August 27.