The crack of gunfire and the threat of army vehicles did little to deter protesters in the capital Sanaa.
The violence has broken the uneasy stalemate that had lasted for weeks.
Many of these demonstrators are loyal to Ali Muhsen, a relative of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
But when close to 50 pro-democracy protesters were killed in these clashes back in March - he switched sides and joined the protesters.
Al Jazeera's Mereana Hond reports.