Saudi Warplanes Attack Crowded Restaurant at Northern Yemen Port

Strikes Killed Diners, People Waiting in Taxis Nearby

The latest in a series of Saudi airstrikes killing a number of civilian bystanders in Yemen saw warplanes attack a popular restaurant in the port of Hodeidah on Saturday, killing at least 20 and wounding a number of others.

The attacks, in the al-Jarrahi District, targeted the crowded restaurant and destroyed three taxi cabs that were parked outside. Everyone in the cabs was killed, and dozens of other casualties were reported in the restaurant.

Saudi officials offered no indication why the strikes targeted the restaurant, though this isn’t particularly surprising, as the Saudis have rarely offered comments in recent weeks related to their strikes that kill civilians.

Attacking Hodeidah has become increasingly common, however, with Saudi forces trying to soften up the defenses of the last port held by the northern Houthi movement. Such strikes, however, have tended to target civilian infrastructure.

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.