SANAA, Yemen (AP) —A missile and explosives-laden drone attack on a key military base in Yemen’s south Sunday killed at least five government troops, military and health officials said.
The officials said at least three explosions took place in the Al-Anad Air Base in the southern province of Lahj, which is held by the internationally recognized government. More than two dozen troops were wounded, they said.
Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war since 2014, when Houthi rebels swept across much of the north and seized the capital, Sanaa, forcing the internationally recognized government into exile. The Saudi-led coalition entered the war the following year on the side of the government.
A ballistic missile landed in the base’s training area, where dozens of troops were doing morning exercises, the officials said.
Medics described a chaotic scene at the base following the explosions, with soldiers carrying their wounded colleagues to safety fearing another attack.
The officials blamed the Houthis for the attack on the base. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.
The military spokesman for the Houthis did not confirm or deny the attack, which carries the hallmarks of the Iranian-backed rebels. The Houthis have previously launched similar attacks including one by a bomb-laden drone on the Al-Anad in Jan. 2019, killing six troops.
