Monthly Briefing /December– 2024

Military tensions heightened in December, as U.S. and Israeli military operations against the Houthi group in Yemen intensified. This escalation was driven by growing threats to maritime security and regional stability, alongside the ongoing attacks on Israeli ships and cities in the occupied territories.

• December 2: The U.S. Central Command reported that its forces successfully thwarted Houthi attacks on two American destroyers while they were transiting the Gulf of Aden in November and December. The assaults involved ballistic missiles, drones and a cruise missile but caused no injuries or damage. 
• December 8: Al-Masdar Online revealed that Houthi commander Abdul-Malik al-Murtada, also known as “Abu Talib Sufyan”, had relocated from Syria to Iraq following the collapse of Syrian regime forces and the opposition’s takeover of Damascus. Al-Murtada had been overseeing Houthi operations in Syria and Iraq as part of a joint operations center managed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. 
• December 17: U.S. aircraft conducted an air strike targeting a Houthi command and control facility south of Sana’a. The U.S. Central Command stated that the facility was being used to coordinate attacks on ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The Houthis claimed the raid hit the Ministry of Defense complex in Sana’a, but did not report any casualties. 
• December 19: Israeli fighter jets carried out air strikes on key facilities in Sana’a and Hodeidah, targeting ports and power stations. According to Houthi-affiliated media, the attacks resulted in 12 civilian casualties, while the Israeli military stated that the raids were a response to Yemen launching a long-range missile. 
• December 21: The Israeli military reported that its defense systems failed to intercept a missile launched from Yemen, which struck the city of Jaffa near Tel Aviv, injuring 20 people. The Houthi group claimed responsibility for the attack. 
• December 22: U.S. fighter jets carried out air strikes on Houthi positions in Sana’a, targeting missile facilities and leadership, in retaliation for the Red Sea attacks. The U.S. Central Command also announced that it had downed drones and a cruise missile during the operation. 
• December 22: The U.S. military mistakenly shot down one of its own F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets over the Red Sea after friendly fire was initiated by the USS Gettysburg cruiser. Both pilots survived, though one sustained minor injuries. 
• December 26: Sana’a International Airport and the Haziz Power Station were heavily hit by Israeli missile strikes, damaging parts of the airport and igniting a fire on the runway. The attacks resulted in civilian casualties, including injuries and deaths among UN personnel. 

December 31: American and British warplanes conducted several air strikes on Houthi targets in Sana’a and Hodeidah, including the 22nd May Complex, in Al-Thawra district, the Al-Ardi complex (the Ministry of Defense headquarters) in Al-Safiyah district and other locations.

The legitimate government and international organizations continue their efforts to combat the smuggling of weapons and drugs into Yemen for the Houthis, a practice that has surged recently. The imposition of U.S. and Canadian sanctions on the Houthis reflects growing international concern over the group’s expansion and its ties to Iran and Hezbollah, which are further escalating the crisis and complicating peace efforts in the region.

• • December 2: The Customs Authority in Aden seized 11 devices used for receiving ships and monitoring the radio spectrum, which were intended for military purposes, as well as 11 types of smuggled medicines destined for the Houthis. 
  • December 2: The Canadian government officially designated the Houthi group as a terrorist entity under Canadian criminal law, citing the group’s strong connections with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s Quds Force and Lebanese Hezbollah. 

• December 9: The U.S. Treasury Department added the National Committee for Prisoners’ Affairs, led by Abdul Qader Al-Murtada, to its sanctions list for involvement in serious human rights violations in Houthi prisons, including torture, cruel treatment, executions and electrocution. 

• December 10: The Specialized Criminal Court in Aden convicted 16 individuals linked to a Houthi cell, sentencing three to death and others to prison terms ranging from three to 10 years. The defendants were also ordered to pay 500,000 Yemeni riyals in litigation fees, and the seized items were confiscated for the benefit of the Public Prosecution. 
• December 17: The Ministry of Interior announced that an international forces boat seized 5,613 kg of hashish, 181 kg of heroin and 1 kg of methamphetamine; all combined were valued at $4 million, all of which were intended for the Houthis in Sana’a. The operation took place in the international shipping lane in late November. 
• December 19: The U.S. Treasury Department imposed new sanctions on several Houthi leaders and entities, including Hashem Ismail, the Governor of the Central Bank in Sana’a, for his involvement in arms smuggling, money laundering, shipping Iranian oil and engaging with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

• December 11: The Central Bank of Yemen has started implementing the International Bank Account Number (IBAN) system across all local banks to improve financial and banking performance internationally, streamline transfers and reduce costs and errors with global standards. 

December 27: Saudi Arabia announced the transfer of a fourth installment of $200 million to support Yemen’s budget, along with an additional $300 million to support the Central Bank.

• December 1: The Houthis carried out a drone strike targeting a crowded market in the Maqbanah district of Taiz, southwest Yemen. The attack resulted in six fatalities and left eight others injured as citizens were shopping for their essentials. 
• December 3: The United Nations Mission in Hodeidah documented four landmine incidents planted by the Houthis in November. These explosions occurred in the Al-Hali, Al-Durayhimi, and Al-Jarrahi districts, killing four civilians and injuring one child. 
• December 7: The SAM Organization for Rights and Freedoms released a report exposing networks linked to the Houthis and foreign entities forcibly recruiting Yemeni youth to fight in Ukraine on behalf of Russia. The network, reportedly led by Abdul-Wali Al-Jabri, a pro-Houthi member of the Yemeni Parliament, facilitates recruitment and transportation to Russia through various channels. 
• December 11: A report published documented 2,368 human rights violations in Yemen throughout 2024. The majority were attributed to the Houthis and included cases of arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, killings, and child recruitment. The Ibb Governorate recorded the highest number of violations. 
• December 17: The Media Freedoms Observatory urged the protection of journalists and accountability for attacks on press freedom in Yemen. It documented 51 violations against journalists in Hadhramaut under the tenure of former governor Faraj Al-Bahsani. 

December 29: Al-Qaeda executed 11 Yemenis in Mukalla, accusing them of espionage. The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS) condemned the act as a terrorist crime, calling for a thorough investigation and accountability for those responsible.

• December 10: The International Organization for Migration reported that 462 migrants died or went missing this year while crossing the sea between Djibouti and Yemen. An additional 90 fatalities were recorded along the eastern migration route. Furthermore, around 4,800 migrants were repatriated to their home countries during the year. 
• December 10: The Yemeni government reiterated its plea to the United Nations to convene a donor conference to fund the humanitarian response plan. The government emphasized the importance of keeping Yemen’s crisis at the forefront of global priorities.
• December 15: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) warned that the continued conflict could lead to agricultural losses totaling $90 billion by 2040. This would exacerbate food insecurity, with an additional 2.6 million people expected to suffer from malnutrition. However, the UNDP noted that development recovery could be achieved within a decade if peace is restored. 

December 23: The Irada Organization published two human rights reports detailing the devastating effects of the Yemen conflict. Over half a million people have been killed, millions displaced, and the Houthis’ policies of ethnic cleansing and racial discrimination have led to the collapse of social cohesion, as well as increases in poverty and illiteracy.