Houthis Say 119 Saudi-Led Airstrikes Killed 17 Civilians in Yemen Over Two Days

SANAA (Terror Monitor) — Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group said on Tuesday, November 3, that Saudi-led coalition airstrikes had killed at least 17 civilians over two days, most of them children, as fighting intensified across several parts of the war-torn country.

The Houthi-run Ministry of Health said the reported deaths occurred during airstrikes carried out on Monday and Tuesday. In a statement, the ministry accused Saudi warplanes of targeting residential homes, neighbourhoods and markets.

"These civilian casualties, including children, show that Saudi aircraft are targeting ordinary homes, residential areas and markets," the ministry said.

The casualty figures were reported by Houthi authorities and have not been independently verified. No detailed breakdown of the locations or circumstances of the reported deaths was immediately available.

Houthis report 109 Saudi airstrikes in 24 hours

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said on Monday that Saudi warplanes had conducted 109 airstrikes across Yemen during the preceding 24 hours.

According to Saree, the attacks targeted locations in the governorates of Saada, Taiz, Lahj, Al-Jawf and Hodeidah.

He did not provide a detailed account of the individual targets or the damage caused by the reported strikes.

The Saudi-led coalition has not publicly confirmed the figure of 109 airstrikes or the Houthi-reported civilian death toll.

The latest claims come amid a sharp increase in military activity between the Houthis and forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia.

Houthi drone attacks target Saudi territory

The Houthis have also intensified their reported drone and missile operations against Saudi Arabia in recent weeks.

The group has claimed attacks on airports and other facilities in the eastern and southern parts of the kingdom, while Saudi authorities have repeatedly reported intercepting incoming missiles and drones.

On Monday, Saudi Civil Defence issued security alerts for Khamis Mushait, Abha, Taif and Najran before announcing that the threat had passed. The Saudi-led coalition subsequently said it had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis towards southern Saudi Arabia, Reuters reported.

The latest cross-border attacks have raised concerns about the security of Saudi military installations, airports and energy infrastructure.

Conflict escalates after collapse of 2022 truce

Yemen has been engulfed in civil war since 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and expanded their control across much of the country's north.

A United Nations-mediated truce in 2022 significantly reduced large-scale fighting, although it did not produce a comprehensive peace agreement. The ceasefire framework subsequently broke down in July 2026, triggering renewed confrontation between the Houthis, Saudi Arabia and forces supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government.

The escalation has included Houthi missile and drone attacks against Saudi targets, Saudi-led airstrikes inside Yemen and intensified ground fighting along several front lines.

The Houthis have also sought to expand their influence around the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key maritime passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and international shipping routes through the Suez Canal.

Thousands killed or displaced since renewed fighting

The renewed conflict has taken a heavy toll on civilians and displaced communities.

According to figures cited by the United Nations and reported by AFP, more than 1,600 people have been killed and over 300,000 displaced since fighting resumed.

The latest escalation has raised fears that Yemen could return to a broader and more destructive phase of war, further worsening the humanitarian situation in one of the world's most impoverished countries.

The United Nations has repeatedly urged the parties to avoid attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure and to return to negotiations.

With Saudi Arabia and the Houthis continuing to exchange military strikes, prospects for a renewed political settlement remain uncertain.