Houthis Compensate for Losses in Yemen’s Marib by Attacking IDP Camps

A displaced family in a refugee camp near Hodeidah, Yemen (AFP)
A displaced family in a refugee camp near Hodeidah, Yemen (AFP)
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Houthis Compensate for Losses in Yemen’s Marib by Attacking IDP Camps

A displaced family in a refugee camp near Hodeidah, Yemen (AFP)
A displaced family in a refugee camp near Hodeidah, Yemen (AFP)

Houthi militias in Yemen are attacking camps hosting internally displaced Yemenis in Marib governorate, where they incurred heavy losses on southern and western battlefronts, official sources reported.

For its part, the internationally recognized Yemeni government raised the alarm on Houthi consecutive attacks triggering a serious deterioration of humanitarian conditions in Marib.

Fierce clashes continue to erupt across Marib’s western Sirwah district, where pro-government forces, backed by the Saudi-led Arab Coalition, regained impetus.

Arab Coalition warplanes on Sunday targeted Houthi military reinforcements heading for Marib.

The airstrikes destroyed vehicles and pickups transporting reinforcements to Houthis fighters in Sirwah and al-Makhdarah, the Yemeni armed forces' media center said, leaving all the troops onboard killed or injured and the ordnance destroyed.

Earlier on Sunday, the government artillery shelled Houthi gatherings in different sites in Sirwah, leaving the fighters with gross losses in lives and ordnance, the center added.

Yemen’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, in a meeting with French Ambassador Jean-Marie Safa, noted that Houthis do not care for losing fighters.

Houthis are sending their deluded fighters to die in Marib, Mubarak said, adding that the Iran-backed group continues to recruit child soldiers and target civilian areas with ballistic missiles.

Mubarak pointed out that Marib has embraced millions of displaced Yemenis who fled oppression in Houthi-run areas and warned that the continuation of Houthi attacks “will lead to a dire deterioration of humanitarian conditions in the governorate.”

Yemen’s Information Minister Muammar Al-Eryani also condemned the Iran-backed terrorist Houthi militia for deliberately targeting the camps of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Marib.

“Houthi militias have continued to target IDP camps with the most recent attack including the shelling of Azour camp in Sirwah with a ballistic missile and several Katyusha rockets,” the official Saba news agency quoted Eryani as saying.

According to Eryani, Azour hosts over 20,000 IDPs.

The minister criticized the international community and the UN standing idle on the Houthi military escalation in Marib.



Israel Expands Drone Use in Southern Lebanon to Intercept Civilians

An armed Israeli drone flies over villages in southern Lebanon in July (Hezbollah Media)
An armed Israeli drone flies over villages in southern Lebanon in July (Hezbollah Media)
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Israel Expands Drone Use in Southern Lebanon to Intercept Civilians

An armed Israeli drone flies over villages in southern Lebanon in July (Hezbollah Media)
An armed Israeli drone flies over villages in southern Lebanon in July (Hezbollah Media)

Israeli drones are now being used for more than just tracking and targeting fighters in southern Lebanon. They’re also setting fires to forests, intimidating residents, and stopping cars at night to broadcast messages through loudspeakers.

Recent reports and social media videos show these new uses. In one troubling incident, an Israeli drone blocked a civilian in his car in the border town of Khallwat in the Hasbaya district, holding him for several minutes.

Local TV channel Al-Jadeed reported that an Israeli drone briefly held a civilian in his car and shone bright lights on him. The man was able to leave safely.

Other reports say the drone stopped the man early in the morning on his way home, using strong green lights that caused him pain.

The type of light used by the Israeli drone is not clear, but experts believe it’s not a laser.

Instead, it was likely a spotlight used to help the drone’s camera scan the driver’s face and collect information. This process involves a camera that captures the image and sends it to a computer where AI can identify the person quickly.

Experts tell Asharq Al-Awsat that Israel’s advanced technology means the bright light could be used for intimidation, to confirm the person’s identity, or to analyze body shape data.

They agree that the situation is concerning.

In another incident, a new video showed an Israeli drone dropping burning materials on forests near borders in Lebanon’s town of Adaisseh. The footage shows the drone releasing the substance, which started a fire.

Israeli drones with loudspeakers have been also flying over border villages, warning residents and broadcasting messages. Locals say the drones not only relay army statements but also insult Hezbollah and incite against the group.

This has been happening in multiple villages over the past month.

Moreover, Israeli warplanes have been striking the outskirts of Zibkin, Naqoura, and Wadi Hamoul, causing severe damage to property, crops, and forests.

The Israeli military also shelled the outskirts of Aita al-Shaab and hit areas around Naqoura and Alma al-Shaab with artillery fire.