At least 53 killed in a Houthi ballistic missile attack on a Yemeni government training camp in Shabwa

20 October 2026

Three ballistic missiles struck the al-Alam military camp in Shabwa governorate in southern Yemen on 19 October 2026 while a training exercise was under way, a spokesperson for Yemeni government forces said. Yemeni military officials said at least 53 soldiers were killed, and the Shabwa provincial government said 200 recruits were wounded and that the toll could rise. The Houthis acknowledged targeting the camp. Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, said the dead were new recruits and promised a firm response. The Houthis have stepped up attacks on Saudi Arabia, including on Riyadh's international airport and the state oil company Aramco, and Saudi authorities warned Riyadh residents of a hostile aerial threat on 19 October.