Houthi Media Report 25 Dead in Saudi Air Strike on Sanaa Town
Houthi-run outlets say strikes on al-Shariyah killed at least 25 people, while the Saudi-led coalition remains silent on the specific claim.
By Lucas Navarro ·
Houthi-linked media report that at least 25 people, including women and children, died in Saudi air strikes on a town east of Yemen's capital.
Al Masirah, a television station operated by the Houthis, broadcast live video of rescuers extracting bodies from the rubble of buildings in al-Shariyah. The footage showed the bodies of young children among the casualties and depicted injured individuals being transported on stretchers to a hospital. Saba, a news agency also run by the Houthis, attributed the attack to Saudi Arabia. The Saudi-led coalition, which has supported Yemen's internationally recognized government against the Houthis for over a decade, had not commented on the claim as of the time of reporting.
The conflict in Yemen had remained dormant for several years before reigniting due to the Iran war. The truce began to collapse when Saudi forces struck the Sanaa airport, which is under Houthi control, to prevent an Iranian plane from landing. In response, the Tehran-backed Houthis targeted Abha airport in Saudi Arabia and began attacking Saudi ships using the Red Sea as an alternative oil export route. This exchange of fire led to a resumption of major combat between the Houthis and forces aligned with the Saudi-backed government.
The violence in al-Shariyah followed a separate incident reported on Friday, the day prior. In that event, an attack on a market in Taiz province killed 30 people. Taiz has been a focal point for recent military engagements. The Houthis blamed the Saudis for the market strike, while government forces countered that the Houthis fired a missile at the location.
The United Nations states that more than 1,600 people have been killed and over 300,000 displaced since fighting resumed. Saudi forces have frequently bombed Houthi positions, while the Houthis have launched multiple missiles at targets inside Saudi Arabia, including airports and oil facilities.
Hours before the strike on al-Shariyah, the Saudi-led coalition announced it had intercepted a missile heading toward Riyadh. Mahdi al-Mashat, a Houthi leader, vowed that the group would take revenge for the latest attacks in Yemen.
