Saudi Airstrikes Kill Nine Civilians in Central Yemen

Three Children Among the Slain in City of Ibb

Saudi airstrikes over the weekend targeting the Yemeni city of Ibb, a city controlled by the Shi’ite Houthis, have once again ended with civilians being killed, with locals reporting at least 10 civilians slain in the strikes, including three children.

Strikes were reported against several areas of the city, and there were no reports any combatants were among the casualties. In addition to the deaths, the local hospital reported another nine civilians wounded, who have been discharged from the hospital.

Ibb is on the hugely important N1 Highway, which connects the capital city of Sanaa, under the control of the Houthis, with the southern port of Aden, which is the de facto capital of the pro-Saudi half of the country. Ibb is just north of Taiz, a city long contested between the two.

Since all the fighting is south, in Taiz, there is very little in the way of Houthi forces inside Ibb, with many locals complaining that the Saudi attacks are unjustified, with no military and little government presence to be targeted.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.