AL-MUKALLA: Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis fired four missiles at two Red Sea areas controlled by the country’s internationally recognized government over the past 24 hours, in the latest wave of missile and drone attacks that the UN says has killed nine civilians and displaced hundreds.

A Houthi missile struck a village in the Red Sea district of Khokha in the western province of Hodeidah on Thursday, damaging a house, local media and an official said.

The attack came hours after three ballistic missiles struck the strategic Red Sea port of Mocha in Taiz province on Wednesday night, causing further damage to the facility, according to Abdul Malik Al-Shara’bi, director of Mocha seaport.

Al-Shara’bi said the missiles struck areas hit in previous attacks, including the dock and service equipment, causing additional damage to already devastated infrastructure.

“This is destruction on top of destruction, causing further damage to already devastated facilities,” Al-Shara’bi said.

Local authorities in Mocha recently suspended operations at the port following consecutive waves of Houthi drone and missile attacks that damaged key infrastructure.

The closure has forced hundreds of workers to stay at home and deprived government-controlled areas in western Yemen of a vital entry point for goods.

Citing residents, independent Yemeni news website Al-Masdar Online reported that some of the missiles that struck the Red Sea area were launched from a Houthi-controlled location northeast of Taiz city.

One missile reportedly fell short of its target and exploded seconds after launch, while others were fired from the outskirts of Houthi-controlled Ibb city.

The latest escalation across Yemen began early this month when the Houthis launched barrages of drones and missiles at military sites and civilian targets in government-controlled areas of Marib, Taiz and Hadramout, leaving dozens of soldiers and civilians dead or wounded.

The attacks prompted retaliatory strikes by the Yemeni Army, which has used drones against Houthi positions in operations that government forces say have killed scores of fighters.

More than 100 Houthi fighters have subsequently been buried in official military processions over the course of several days.

Meanwhile, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a bulletin on Tuesday that strikes in Marib and Taiz had killed nine civilians and wounded 54 as of Aug. 22.

Without identifying the Houthis as responsible for triggering the escalation, OCHA said the violence had displaced about 1,134 people, including approximately 840 in Taiz province.

The fighting also forced the closure of Mocha seaport, damaged shelters housing internally displaced people in Marib, and disrupted telecommunications, healthcare services and humanitarian operations.

Separately, the Yemeni military said its drones had struck Houthi positions and gatherings as its attacks intensified this month.

Footage released by the military on Wednesday showed drones dropping explosives on Houthi vehicles, fortifications and hideouts, sending thick plumes of smoke into the air and knocking fighters to the ground.

On Tuesday, the Army said 14 Houthis were killed and 19 wounded in shelling targeting their positions south of Hodeidah.

It said a further 11 Houthi fighters were killed or wounded in fighting northeast of Taiz city.