Houthi-linked media reports that at least 25 people, including women and children, died in Saudi airstrikes on al-Shariyah, a town east of Sanaa. Al Masirah television aired live footage of rescuers pulling bodies from the rubble of several buildings, while Saba news agency attributed the attack to Saudi Arabia. The Saudi-led coalition has issued no comment regarding the specific incident. This strike occurred hours after the coalition announced it intercepted a missile heading toward Riyadh. The conflict reignited when Saudi forces struck Sanaa airport to block an Iranian plan, prompting Houthi retaliation against Abha airport and Red Sea shipping routes.
Escalation and casualties
Major fighting resumed between the Houthis and forces supporting the internationally recognised government, with Taiz province becoming the focus of recent combat. An attack on a market in Taiz reportedly killed 30 people on Friday, though government forces accused the Houthis of firing a missile at the site rather than admitting to a Saudi air strike. The United States notes that the war had been dormant for several years before the Iran war triggered this resurgence. Houthi leader Mahdi al-Mashat vowed the group would take revenge for the latest attacks in Yemen. The humanitarian toll is severe, with the United Nations stating that more than 1,600 people have been killed and over 300,000 displaced since fighting resumed.
Regional dynamics
The Saudi-led coalition has fought the Houthis for more than a decade to support Yemen’s recognised government. While the Saudis regularly bomb Houthi positions, the group fires multiple missiles at targets inside Saudi Arabia, including airports and oil facilities. The current escalation follows the truce falling apart after Saudi strikes on Sanaa airport. The Houthis subsequently targeted Abha airport and began hitting Saudi ships using the Red Sea as an alternative oil export route to the Strait of Hormuz. This cycle of retaliation has clearly intensified the violence across the region. The lack of immediate response from the coalition leaves the full extent of the damage in al-Shariyah unverified by independent observers. The situation remains volatile, with both sides continuing to exchange fire along the border and within Yemen.
