Yemen Airstrikes: 33 Killed, 39 Injured Near Sanaa; Houthis Blame Saudi Arabia

At least 33 people were killed and 39 others injured in airstrikes attributed to Saudi Arabia on a village near Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, according to the Houthi-run health ministry. The strikes hit Bani Hushaysh, east of Sanaa, on Saturday, November 7, in one of the deadliest reported attacks since fighting between the Iran-aligned Houthi group and Saudi-backed forces resumed in July. Most of those reported killed were women and children. Saudi Arabia’s Center for International Communication said it was investigating the report, while Reuters said it could not independently verify the account.

Houthi health ministry spokesperson Anees Alasbahi announced the updated death toll in a post on X on Sunday. He said the victims included 12 men, eight women and 13 children. The injured included 16 men, 10 women and 13 children, according to figures reported by the Houthi authorities.

Abdul-Aziz al-Dailami, director of Sehatuna Hospital in Sanaa, told Reuters that several people, including emergency responders, were believed to remain trapped beneath the rubble. He said the hospital had received critically injured patients with head, chest and leg injuries, as well as fractures. Houthi media also alleged that follow-up strikes targeted rescuers attempting to reach survivors.

Houthis Claim Retaliatory Attacks On Saudi Targets

The latest strikes were followed by claims from the Houthis that they had launched six military operations targeting Saudi infrastructure and military positions. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the operations involved ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones, and included targets such as King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Aramco facilities and military positions. The claims could not be independently verified, and Saudi Arabia had not confirmed damage to the reported targets.

The escalation followed a separate attack on a market in Yemen’s Taiz province on Friday, which reportedly killed 30 people. The Houthis blamed Saudi airstrikes for the deaths, while Yemen’s government forces accused the group of firing a ballistic missile at the site. The competing accounts have not been independently established.

Renewed Fighting Shatters Yemen Truce

The latest violence has further undermined a United Nations-brokered truce reached in 2022, which had largely halted hostilities between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis, who control Sanaa and significant parts of northern Yemen. Fighting resumed in July, reopening a major front in the country’s long-running conflict. The Houthis have since carried out missile and drone attacks against Saudi airports and oil facilities, while Saudi forces have conducted airstrikes in support of allied Yemeni groups.

The renewed conflict has added to Yemen’s already severe humanitarian crisis. The International Organization for Migration said in October that more than 200,000 people had been displaced since the latest round of fighting began. Years of conflict have weakened public services, disrupted access to food and healthcare, and left millions of Yemenis dependent on humanitarian assistance.