Saudi airstrikes hit market in Taiz, Yemen
Three airstrikes targeted the al-Hadara market in al-Waziyah, Taiz province, at approximately 7 a.m., according to Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree, reports BritPanorama.
Saree attributed responsibility for the attacks to Saudi Arabia, claiming that warplanes took off from the Khamis Mushait air base and departed the Taiz area around 8 a.m. He did not provide any evidence to support these allegations.
Requests for comments from Saudi Arabia’s information ministry went unanswered at the time of reporting.
The scale of the incident remains unclear, but the timing suggests a high number of potential casualties, as markets are typically crowded on Fridays, a common day off across much of the Arab world.
The provincial media office confirmed via a Facebook statement that an incident had occurred at the market and acknowledged fatalities, although it did not disclose specific details. The statement also condemned the “indiscriminate Houthi missile attacks,” including ballistic missile usage, emphasizing the need for the protection of civilian lives and populated areas.
This incident follows last month’s Houthi missile strikes on Yemeni government forces, resulting in the deaths of at least 75 soldiers and injuries to around 200 recruits in Shabwa province. The rebels claimed responsibility for the attack on the military camp at the time.
In September, the Houthis also accused Saudi Arabia of attacking a prison in northern Yemen, with coalition airstrikes leading to the collapse of the Hazm facility, claiming at least 23 lives.
