Saudis Attack Yemen’s Capital, Target Telecom Ministry Area

Further escalating its war in Yemen, Saudi Arabia attacked the capital of Sanaa on Monday, targeting buildings in the area of the Telecommunications Ministry, the first time that they’ve gone after that civilian ministry.

The Saudis argue that the ministry was used for drone attacks, making it a legitimate target. They went on to attack a building belonging to TeleYemen, a major telecommunications company.

Misfer Numair, Yemen’s telecom minister, denied that his compound was being used for military purposes at all. The Saudis didn’t offer any evidence for their accusations, either, but the Saudis generally don’t face serious condemnation for killing civilians anyhow, so the statements were purely for the benefit of PR statements.

Nominally this was retaliation for a drone attack on a Saudi airport last Thursday, in which the drone was destroyed and debris injured 12 people. The Saudis have been attacking Yemen’s capital several times a week anyway, so the claims of why seem secondary.

Yemen’s Houthis will almost certainly retaliate, likely with drones or missiles. This will lead to yet more tit-for-tat retaliations, the one dependable constant in the Yemen war, which has seen soaring violence recently and no sign of peace progress.

The US has blamed the Houthis for continuing to resist the Saudis, saying there is no military solution. The Saudis have shown no serious interest in a peace process either, however, which is why the situation keeps worsening.