Houthis accuse Saudi Arabia of Sanaa airstrikes that killed 22 people

Airstrikes killed at least 22 people in the village of al-Shariya near Sanaa on Saturday, according to DW, the Daily Sabah, the Hindustan Times, The Times of Israel, Firstpost, and ABC News. Houthi rebel health ministry spokesperson Anees Alasbahi told the Associated Press that Saudi Arabia carried out the strikes, DW reported. Daily Sabah added that 30 people were wounded in the attack. There was no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia on the reported strikes, DW said. [1][2][3][4][5][6]

Alasbahi stated in a post on social platform X that the strikes hit several residential homes in the village, DW reported. Houthi-linked broadcaster Al-Masirah broadcast footage showing debris and injured individuals inside a hospital following the strike. [1]

The Iran-backed Houthis have been involved in an ongoing civil war against Yemen's internationally recognized government. In September 2026, the rebels launched an offensive against government forces in Taiz Governorate. The government subsequently launched a counter-offensive in the Al-Jawf and Al-Bayda governorates. Sanaa has served as the de facto administrative hub for Houthi-controlled regions since the group seized the capital in 2015. [7][11]

The latest strikes follow earlier escalations across the region. As FTMQ News reported earlier, an attack on a market in Yemen's Taiz province killed at least 30 people hours before the Sanaa strikes, with opposing forces trading blame for the strike. Houthi media also reported 11 deaths from Saudi airstrikes in Sanaa late last month. [12][13]