Houthis Say Saudi Airstrikes Kill 33, Injure 39 Near Yemen’s Sanaa

SANAA (Terror Monitor) — At least 33 people have been killed and 39 others wounded in reported Saudi airstrikes targeting residential areas in Yemen’s Sanaa province, according to Houthi-run media, with women and children said to account for most of the casualties.

Saudi Arabia has said it is investigating reports of the attacks, while the claims of civilian casualties have not been independently verified.

According to the Houthi-controlled Saba News Agency, the airstrikes took place on Saturday, November 7, in the al-Shariya area of Bani Hushaysh district, east of the Yemeni capital, Sanaa. The strikes reportedly hit several residential homes.

The Houthi-run health authorities initially reported a lower casualty toll before announcing that the number of fatalities had risen to 33, with 39 people injured.

Abdul-Aziz al-Dailami, director of Sehatuna Hospital in Sanaa, told Reuters that several people, including rescue workers, remained trapped beneath the rubble of destroyed buildings.

"The strikes are continuing. Whenever rescue workers arrive at the scene, another strike takes place. We have also lost some of our rescue workers in these attacks," al-Dailami said.

He added that several wounded people had been brought to the hospital in critical condition, suffering severe injuries to their heads, chests and legs, as well as multiple fractures.

According to the hospital director, rescue operations were continuing as emergency teams attempted to recover survivors and bodies from beneath the debris.

Saudi Arabia investigating the reports

Saudi Arabia's Center for International Communication said it was investigating reports of the alleged airstrikes, according to Reuters.

The Saudi authorities have not publicly confirmed responsibility for the reported attack, while the casualty figures and circumstances surrounding the strikes remain subject to independent verification.

Reuters and Associated Press report on the casualties

In its report on Saturday, Reuters said the Houthi-run Saba news agency had initially reported that at least 27 people were killed and 36 wounded in the airstrikes. The figures were subsequently revised upward to 33 killed and 39 injured.

Reuters said it could not independently verify the Houthi account.

The Associated Press also reported that the strikes hit homes in al-Shariya village, approximately 15 kilometres northeast of Sanaa, citing Houthi-run health authorities. It said most of those reported killed were women and children and that the death toll could rise as rescue workers continued searching through the rubble.

The AP also reported allegations by Houthi officials that subsequent strikes had targeted emergency responders attempting to reach the affected area. These allegations have not been independently verified.

One of the deadliest attacks since fighting resumed

If confirmed, the reported casualties would make the attack one of the deadliest incidents since fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-aligned Houthi movement resumed in July.

The renewed hostilities have effectively shattered the United Nations-brokered truce established in 2022, which had largely halted direct attacks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis.

Since the resumption of fighting, the Houthis have launched missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi airports and oil infrastructure, while Saudi Arabia has carried out airstrikes in Yemen in support of forces aligned with the internationally recognised Yemeni government.

The latest escalation has also been linked to the wider regional confrontation involving the United States and Iran, further complicating efforts to prevent Yemen's long-running conflict from expanding.

Yemen's humanitarian crisis deepens

The renewed fighting has raised concerns about the humanitarian situation in Yemen, where years of conflict have already devastated infrastructure, displaced millions and left large sections of the population dependent on humanitarian assistance.

Agence France-Presse, citing the United Nations, reported that more than 1,600 people had been killed and over 300,000 displaced since fighting resumed in July.

The International Organization for Migration has also warned of mounting displacement as renewed hostilities force families to flee their homes.

The latest reported airstrikes have intensified fears that the renewed Saudi-Houthi confrontation could further undermine civilian security and worsen the humanitarian crisis in the country.

There has been no independent confirmation of the full casualty toll or the circumstances of the reported attack.