In a significant development in Yemen's decade-long conflict, government-aligned military units have intensified their use of drones against Houthi positions in recent weeks, marking a shift in the battlefield dynamics. The internationally recognized Yemeni government, which has long been on the defensive, is now employing remotely operated drones to strike back at the Iran-backed Houthi group.
Government military units have repeatedly released video footage showing drones tracking targets, dropping bombs, killing fighters, and destroying armored vehicles and hideouts. According to Marius Bales, a doctoral researcher at the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies, the government side is acquiring a potentially important tactical capability, even if it cannot match the Houthis' strategic strike range.
Rueben Dass, an associate research fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, told Al Jazeera that Yemeni government forces have publicized the use of drone-dropped munitions, which seem to be released from rotary-wing drones. These drones may have been modified to carry improvised payloads targeting Houthi positions, similar to use by state and nonstate actors in other conflict zones.
The Houthis, who captured the capital Sanaa in September 2014 and pushed into other parts of Yemen, have long used drones as a key asymmetric warfare tool. They have been able to monitor opponents and strike their gatherings, command centers, and facilities far from the front lines, while government forces were mostly in a defensive and interception posture.
However, in recent days, government-affiliated forces have announced the use of drones against Houthi positions in Marib, al-Jawf, Taiz, Hajjah, al-Dhalea, and other fronts, releasing videos of several operations. Experts say that while the Houthis have years of experience and a more advanced missile and drone infrastructure, the government does not necessarily need full parity to bring about change on the battlefield.
Bales noted that the Houthis still have the more sophisticated drone capability overall, having accumulated roughly a decade of operational experience and possessing a much broader spectrum of systems. Their arsenal ranges from relatively short-range attack drones to long-range, one-way UAVs capable of striking targets far beyond Yemen. The Houthis have benefited from Iranian technological assistance, with systems including the Qasef family and the longer-range Sammad family.
The Qasef drones, similar to the Iranian-designed Ababil-T, can carry 30kg warheads, while the Sammad-3 drones have a range of about 1,500km and can be fitted with 18kg of explosives. Bales also noted that the Houthis seem to be adopting tactical innovations seen in Ukraine, such as the appearance of FPV drones with fiber-optic control on the Marib front.
Last month, the Yemeni government's Ministry of Defence unveiled drones for the first time as part of its military equipment, though officials did not disclose their types or capabilities. Recently, government drones have conducted operations almost daily, and they are predominantly remotely operated and reusable. A Yemeni researcher, who asked not to be named, said that government military experts have modified civilian drones for military operations, enabling reconnaissance, target spotting, and munition drops.
While drones have become increasingly important on Yemen's battlefields, their use remains limited compared with the war in Ukraine. Bales emphasized that in Ukraine, drones have become an industrialized and ubiquitous component of warfare, whereas Yemen has not reached that density or sophistication, although similar dynamics are now appearing.
Over recent weeks, the Yemeni government has restructured its military with a single decision-making center. The government's drone use could pave the way for more advances, but it does not guarantee a definite win against the Houthis. Yazeed al-Jeddawy, the research manager at the Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies, told Al Jazeera that the drone campaign can make the front lines more costly for the Houthis, restrict their movement, and gradually weaken their positions, potentially affecting their morale.
Source: www.aljazeera.com