Yemen's government has accused Houthi rebels of launching multiple ballistic missile and drone strikes on the government-held city of Marib, hitting residential neighborhoods and causing injuries and damage. The provincial authority reported that four ballistic missiles and four drones struck the city on Saturday, damaging homes, vehicles, and property. A fifth ballistic missile later in the day injured one person, and a sixth was launched overnight.

The Ministry of Information denounced the attacks as part of an "ongoing assault that threatens the lives of civilians, displaced persons’ camps, and residential neighbourhoods." Marib is a crucial hub, hosting over two million internally displaced people, representing a significant portion of Yemen's displaced population.

Video footage verified by Al Jazeera depicted destruction in the aftermath of the strikes. The Ministry of Information characterized the continued targeting of densely populated areas as a dangerous "escalation" that exacerbates suffering for civilians and the displaced.

These attacks on Marib occurred concurrently with clashes further south. Yemeni government forces claimed that drone strikes on Saturday killed three Houthi fighters, including field commanders, along the Maqbanah front west of Taiz. A separate strike reportedly destroyed a Houthi military vehicle, resulting in further casualties.

The incidents are part of a recent surge in hostilities that began in early August. Previously, Houthi missile and drone attacks on military camps in Marib and Hadramout resulted in the deaths of at least 30 government soldiers, marking the conflict's deadliest single event in years. Subsequent Houthi missile attacks in Marib killed at least two civilians and injured 14, with further strikes in the port city of al-Makha claiming seven lives.

The Iran-backed Houthis currently control a substantial portion of Yemen's northern territories, including the capital, Sanaa. This intensification of conflict has raised alarms internationally.

United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg recently cautioned the UN Security Council that Yemen is facing its most significant risk of a return to full-scale war since the UN-brokered truce in April 2022. He highlighted the escalating fighting on multiple fronts and the growing threats.

Officials have stated that the ongoing assaults are designed to pressure the internationally recognized government and its allies. The Houthi movement has not immediately commented on the specific strikes on Marib's residential areas, though they have previously justified attacks on military targets and infrastructure they claim are used by their adversaries.