Deadly Airstrikes Deepen Yemen’s Renewed Conflict

Airstrikes on the village of al-Shariya, near Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, killed at least 22 people and wounded at least 30 on Saturday, according to the Health Ministry run by the Houthi rebels. Ministry spokesperson Anees Alasbahi said Saudi Arabia carried out the strikes and that several homes were hit. Houthi-linked broadcaster Al-Masirah aired footage it described as showing the attack’s aftermath, including rubble and wounded people in a hospital. Saudi Arabia had not commented at the time of publication, so responsibility for the reported strike had not been independently confirmed in the article. The report situates the attack within Yemen’s renewed conflict. The Iran-backed Houthis have controlled Sanaa and large parts of western and northern Yemen since the civil war began in 2014. Saudi Arabia supports the internationally recognized government based in Aden. A yearslong truce broke down over the summer, and the Houthis made territorial gains along the Red Sea coast in September, including Mokha and islands near the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Houthis have also attacked targets in Saudi Arabia, including oil facilities, military infrastructure, and shipping in the Red Sea. The United Nations says the intensified fighting has killed more than 1,600 people and displaced over 300,000. Other clashes were reported on Saturday: pro-government media said government forces repelled a Houthi assault in Taiz province, while Saudi-led coalition forces said they intercepted a Houthi missile heading toward Riyadh province. Separately, Houthi officials said a Friday airstrike on a market in southern Yemen killed at least 30 people; the Houthis and government forces blamed each other for that attack.

Yemen’s Houthi-run Health Ministry says at least 33 people were killed and 39 wounded in airstrikes on al-Shariya, a village near the capital, Sanaa, on Saturday. Ministry spokesman Anees Alasbahi said eight women and 13 children were among the dead and that several homes were hit. He initially told the Associated Press that Saudi Arabia carried out the strikes. The Houthi-linked Al-Masirah broadcaster aired footage it described as showing the aftermath, including debris and wounded people at a hospital. Saudi Arabia had not commented on the reported attack at the time of publication. The report places the strike in the context of Yemen’s civil war. The Iran-backed Houthis have controlled Sanaa and large areas of western and northern Yemen since the conflict began in 2014. Saudi Arabia supports the internationally recognized government based in Aden. A yearslong truce collapsed over the summer, and the Houthis made further advances along the Red Sea coast in September, reportedly capturing the port of Mokha and islands near the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Houthis have also attacked targets in Saudi Arabia, including oil facilities, military infrastructure and shipping in the Red Sea. The United Nations says the renewed fighting has killed more than 1,600 people and displaced over 300,000. Other reported clashes took place on Saturday: pro-government media said government forces repelled a Houthi attack in Taiz province, while Saudi-led coalition forces said they intercepted a Houthi missile aimed at Riyadh province. Houthi officials also said an airstrike at a market in southern Yemen on Friday killed at least 30 people; the Houthis and government forces blamed each other.

Airstrikes struck homes in al-Shariya, a farming village about 15 kilometres northeast of Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, killing at least 25 people and wounding 30, mostly women and children, according to Anees Alasbahi, a spokesman for the Houthi-run Health Ministry. Alasbahi accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out the attack. The Associated Press said it could not independently verify the claim, and Saudi Arabia’s Information Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Houthi officials said civilians remained trapped beneath rubble and that further strikes targeted emergency workers trying to rescue survivors. Footage aired by Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV showed damaged homes, injured children and rescue efforts, although the footage was not independently verified in the article. The attack comes amid a sharp deterioration in Yemen’s civil war. A truce reached in 2022 collapsed over the summer, and fighting has intensified between the Iranian-backed Houthis, who control Sanaa and much of the north and west, and Saudi-backed forces based in the south and east. On Friday, a separate airstrike at a market in southern Yemen killed at least 30 people, according to Houthi officials; both sides blamed each other. The conflict began in 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and drove out Yemen’s internationally recognized government. Saudi Arabia assembled a coalition to support the government and conducted a prolonged air campaign that drew international condemnation over civilian deaths. The United Nations estimates the war has killed at least 150,000 people, with additional deaths from hunger and disease. The renewed fighting has raised fears of another escalation and worsening humanitarian conditions. The Houthis have advanced along parts of the Red Sea coast and increased attacks on Saudi targets and shipping, while the Saudi-led coalition says it is striking Houthi military infrastructure. Ground fighting has also intensified around Taiz, a government-held city now encircled by the Houthis, where residents face serious difficulties obtaining food and drinking water.

Airstrikes struck homes in al-Shariya, a village about 15 kilometers northeast of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, killing at least 25 people and injuring 30, according to Anees Alasbahi, a spokesman for the Houthi-run Health Ministry. He said most of the casualties were women and children and accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out the attacks. The Associated Press could not independently verify the account, and Saudi Arabia’s Information Ministry had not responded to a request for comment. Alasbahi later told Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV that civilians remained buried under rubble and that follow-up strikes hit emergency workers trying to rescue survivors. Footage broadcast by Al-Masirah showed children being taken from ambulances and injured people receiving treatment, as well as damaged homes and residents sheltering in nearby fields. The strikes came a day after another airstrike hit a market in southern Yemen, killing at least 30 people according to Houthi officials; both the Houthis and the Saudi-backed military blamed each other. The report places the attacks within a renewed escalation of Yemen’s civil war. A truce reached in 2022 ended years of relative quiet, but fighting resumed over the summer. The Houthis, backed by Iran, control Sanaa and much of northern and western Yemen, while their Saudi-backed opponents are based in the south and east. The Houthis say their renewed offensives respond to Saudi Arabia’s continued blockade; they have advanced along the Red Sea coast and targeted Saudi infrastructure and shipping. The Saudi-led coalition says it is striking Houthi military infrastructure. The conflict began in 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and drove out the internationally recognized government, prompting Saudi Arabia to assemble a coalition and launch an air campaign that drew international condemnation over civilian deaths. The U.N. estimates the war has killed at least 150,000 people, with additional deaths caused by hunger and disease. Fighting is now especially intense around Taiz, a government-held city encircled by the Houthis, where restrictions on movement have made it harder for civilians to obtain food and drinking water.