Ankara: Yemen's government-aligned National Resistance Forces announced Monday their interception of Houthi 'suicide boats' that were attempting to approach Yemeni islands in the Red Sea. These islands hold strategic significance as they control vital international shipping routes.

According to Anadolu Agency, the forces conveyed through their 2 December news agency that the intercepted boats were on a mission to 'infiltrate and approach liberated islands.' While the forces confirmed they 'confronted these boats,' they did not specify the number or outcome of the boats involved. Observations noted 'intense movements of suicide boats' by the Houthis on both Sunday and Monday.

In a related event, the Shabwa local government media office reported via Facebook that the Shabwa Defense Forces successfully shot down a Houthi drone on the Beihan-Harib front in western Shabwa. The operation was a collaborative effort by the 3rd and 10th brigades, who detected the drone amidst Houthi efforts to target government positions along the western front.

The Houthis have not issued any comments regarding these incidents. The conflict in Yemen had been relatively subdued since April 2022 following nearly 12 years of war between government forces, supported by a Saudi-led coalition, and the Iranian-backed Houthis, who took control of the capital, Sanaa, in 2014. However, since late 2023, the Houthis have become more involved in regional tensions, launching attacks on Israel and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, heightening fears of renewed full-scale conflict.