Saudis Escalate Airstrikes Against Yemen’s Houthis, Killing Scores

Saudi-Backed President Calls for Attack on Yemen's Capital

While most Saudi airstrikes against Yemen in recent weeks have killed civilians predominantly or even exclusively, at least some airstrikes over the weekend appear to be hitting actual military targets, in Bayda and Hodeidah Province, where the Shi’ite Houthi movement remains active.

The strikes have killed an estimated 45 Shi’ite fighters in the course of 24 hours, and have wounded a number of others, leading medical officials to predict the death toll will continue to rise as many do not survive.

This is the continuation of weeks of escalating airstrikes against northern Yemen, with Saudi-backed President Hadi reportedly calling for the military to focus its offensive on attacking the capital city of Sanaa.

Offensives throughout nearly three years of Saudi invasion have sought to push north toward Sanaa, but so far have failed to do so, with pushes through several different routes from the southern coast all stalling part way through.

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.