Shabwa Defense Forces pledges to punish militia for deaths Houthis criticized for damaging marine navigation traffic security on important route AL-MUKALLA: Two Yemeni government soldiers, including an officer, were killed in a Houthi drone attack in Marib province on Sunday — the second deadly Houthi attack in less than a week. The government’s Shabwa Defense Forces said that Iran-backed Houthis shot an explosive-laden drone at a site held by its troops in Hareb district, south of Marib, killing two. “These heinous terrorist acts only serve to bolster the heroes of the Shabwa Defense Forces’ resolve to crush the terrorist remnants,” the Yemeni forces said in a statement pledging to punish the militia for the soldiers’ deaths. The Houthi drone attack on government troops occurred only days after Houthis hit the government’s Giants Brigades in the western province of Hodeidah, sparking clashes that left two government soldiers dead. Despite a considerable decline in hostilities throughout Yemen since the start of the UN-brokered ceasefire in April 2022, Houthis have bombarded civilian areas in the city of Taiz, as well as firing drones and missiles against government troops in Saada, Marib, Lahj, and Hodeidah. Yemen’s government has renewed its appeal for the international community — and particularly the UN — to label the Houthi militia as terrorists for its Red Sea attacks, accusing Iran of directing the group to damage marine navigation traffic security along the important route. Yemen’s Information Minister Muammar Al-Eryani said on Saturday that the Houthis’ attacks on commercial and navy ships in the Red Sea were not in support of the Palestinians but merely the result of “blindly” following orders from Iran to derail Red Sea security and settle scores with international powers. Al-Eryani warned that the Houthi Red Sea strikes would affect the Yemeni economy by increasing shipping and insurance prices, worsening the country’s already severe humanitarian and living conditions. The Yemeni minister said in a post on X: “The international community, the UN, and the UN Security Council are urged to take urgent action by labeling the Houthi militia as a terrorist group and cutting off its financial, political, and media sources.” The Houthis have launched more than 20 missile and drone strikes since November on commercial and naval ships in the Red Sea. The militia has seized a commercial ship and called for a ban on all Israel-bound ships going through the region. The Houthi attacks prompted the US and UK to launch dozens of strikes against military installations situated in militia-controlled regions of Yemen on Friday. In retaliation, the Houthis have vowed to severely punish the two countries by destroying their assets in the region. The Houthis declared on Saturday that they had conducted a military drill near Saudi Arabia’s border in the Al-Boqa district of their stronghold province of Saada. The Houthis streamed images of forces shooting live fire from tanks, armored vehicles and artillery, as well as missiles and explosive-laden drones. The militia said that the exercise was staged to help train its men to strike Israelis in Palestine, as well as US and UK forces.