Saudi Airstrikes Hits North Yemen Market, Kills 14 Civilians

Saudi warplanes attacked a marketplace in the Qatabir District of northern Yemen’s Saada Province on Monday. The most recent reports are at least 14 civilians killed and 22 others wounded in the attack.

The Saada Province is a heavily Shi’ite province, which means it leans strongly toward the Houthi movement, and is a common target for Saudi airstrikes. These attacks have killed a disproportionately large number of civilians.

And even though this market was in Houthi-controlled territory, the Saudis are trying to blame the Houthis for the attack, with a spokesman of the Saudi-led coalition insisting that the Houthis attacked their own marketplace out of spite.

Hospital officials say that two children were among the slain and 11 children were among the wounded in the attack. That the Saudis are trying to deflect blame suggests this was a strike that could prove embarrassing, as generally when they kill civilians they either don’t comment at all, or argue that the marketplace or hospital or school they just bombed was a valid military target.