Houthis Report 20 Killed in Taiz Market Strike
Clashing accounts from Yemen's warring sides emerged after airstrikes hit a bustling bazaar in the Taiz province, with Saudi Arabia denying it launched the attack.
By Camila Herrera ·
Iran-backed Houthi rebels stated that three airstrikes struck the al-Hadara market in al-Waziyah, Taiz province, on Friday at approximately 7 a.m. local time. The group identified Saudi Arabia as the responsible party and reported that warplanes departed from the Khamis Mushait air base, leaving the area around 8 a.m.
Houthi health ministry spokesperson Anees Alsabahi told Al Masirah television that at least 20 people died in the incident. He added that 15 others sustained injuries and indicated that the death toll was likely to increase. The group's military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, confirmed the timing of the strikes but offered no physical evidence to support the attribution of blame to Saudi forces.
The Yemeni government authorities in Taiz disputed the Houthi narrative. They asserted that the Houthis were responsible for the attack and stated that no airstrikes had been conducted in the region. Saudi Arabia's information ministry did not respond immediately to requests for comment regarding the incident.
Video footage broadcast by Al-Masirah showed smoke rising from the site, a damaged building that housed canned food, and scattered fruit boxes among the rubble. The attack occurred on a Friday, a day when markets in the region typically see high foot traffic. It remained unclear how many individuals were present at the time of the impact.
The provincial media office in Taiz, which aligns with the Saudi-backed government, acknowledged the attack in a Facebook statement. The office noted that there were casualties but did not provide specific numbers. It described the incident as part of "indiscriminate Houthi missile attacks" that included ballistic missiles, arguing that such strikes endanger civilian lives in populated areas.
The conflict in the region has intensified over the past month. Last month, Houthi forces launched ballistic missile strikes on a government military camp in Shabwa province, killing at least 75 soldiers and wounding around 200 recruits. In September, the Houthis also accused Saudi Arabia of striking a prison in Hazm, the capital of Jawf province, which collapsed and killed at least 23 people.
The Houthis have recently tightened their encirclement of Taiz city, a strategic gateway to southern Yemen. This follows their rapid capture of the port city of Mokha in September, a location approximately 130 kilometers away that is critical for controlling Red Sea shipping. Government forces in the surrounding hills are attempting to repel the advancing rebels, particularly in the eastern sector, while residents of Taiz face shortages of drinking water and food due to restricted movement.
