The strike hit the Martyr Ahmed al-Sulaimani Training Centre, a facility preparing recruits for internal security forces, said Shabwa authorities. Governor Awad bin al-Wazir reported that hospitals in the province were overwhelmed and had transferred the most seriously wounded to Hadramout and Aden. Some of the injured remained in critical condition, he said.

Shabwa province is home to the Balhaf liquefied natural gas terminal, Yemen’s largest industrial investment. A government military source warned that the Houthi attack could signal a broader offensive, similar to the group’s capture of the Red Sea port of Mokha in September. The Houthis have also cut the road linking Shabwa with the Houthi-controlled Bayda governorate.

Yemen’s President Rashad al-Alimi condemned the attack as a “criminal act” and vowed a “firm response.” He also called on the UN to classify the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization. Al-Alimi emphasized that the training center was not a military target but a facility for preparing recruits for security duties, calling the attack a war crime.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea claimed the missiles targeted “Saudi enemy concentrations” at the camp, which he said were run by Saudi officers. He also warned against responding to Saudi-led calls for recruitment, accusing the coalition of exploiting Yemeni fighters. The Houthis also claimed to have struck the anti-Houthi Giant Brigades in southern Yemen, claiming six separate attacks in the al-Suqya and Ras al-Ara areas.

The attack comes amid a broader escalation in the Yemeni civil war, which reignited in July 2026 after the collapse of a four-year informal ceasefire. The Houthis have intensified attacks on Saudi Arabia, including strikes on airports and oil infrastructure, while pro-government forces have launched offensives to retake Red Sea coastline areas.

The Yemeni government and Shabwa authorities report 53 killed and over 200 injured, while the Houthi military spokesperson provides a less specific account of “dozens of dead and wounded.” The Yemeni government claims the al-Alam camp was a training center for recruits, far from the frontlines, and not a military target. The Houthis assert it was a “Saudi enemy concentration” and a legitimate military objective.

The Saudi-led coalition has not yet commented on the attack. Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Yemen continues to deteriorate, with aid agencies warning of worsening conditions in cities like Taiz, which is under Houthi siege.