Houthis say Saudi strikes on Yemen’s Taiz leave dozens of casualties

Saudi airstrikes in southwest Yemen's Taiz city have resulted in numerous casualties, according to the Houthi group. The Iran-backed Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Saree, claimed that two air raids killed or wounded nearly 50 people, though he did not provide details on the exact number of fatalities and injuries. The spokesman vowed repercussions for the attack, stating that blood was spilt unjustly and aggressively.

Earlier, Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported that a market strike killed seven people and wounded 40 more, adding that five children were among the wounded. Subsequent statements from the channel cited the Houthis' health ministry, confirming the child injuries. Multiple Houthi sources later informed AFP that around 30 fighters were killed in the strikes, while eight civilians died.

Taiz, currently controlled by government forces, has long been besieged by Houthi fighters and remains a significant battleground in Yemen's civil war. Al-Masirah broadcast images of damaged buildings and vehicles with shattered windows. The civil war, which reignited in July amid the broader Middle East conflict, has plunged Yemen, already the world's poorest nation, into a severe humanitarian crisis.

Tensions escalated in September with the Houthi offensive, which saw them seize Yemen's entire Red Sea coast, including the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a crucial shipping route. In parallel, the Houthis imposed a blockade on Saudi energy exports, already disrupted by Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz. On Saturday, Saudi Arabia intercepted two Houthis drones en route to Riyadh.

Schools in the capital announced on Sunday they would switch to remote learning for a week, but did not disclose the reason.