Saudi-led coalition air strike kills around 30 Yemeni civilians: residents

The BBC reports the strikes hit a bottling plant Sunday morning and that most of the dead were civilians.

Human rights groups have criticized the Saudi campaign for what they say are repeated strikes on or near populated areas. Leaders of the exiled government’s army have, however, been quoted in the Saudi press saying they are ready for a push on Sana’a next month. Almost 100 UAE troops with unmarked armored vehicles were deployed in Aden and have played a key role in pushing the Houthis out of the city.

Saudi Arabia and a group of mainly Gulf allies have been carrying out airstrikes against the Shiite Houthi rebels since March.

The Saudi coalition is reportedly calculating that a successful assault on the Houthi stronghold of Saada would deal a fatal blow to the anti-Hadi forces and would facilitate the recapture of Sanaa. Gen. Hafzullah Sedmi, to bolster their forces in Marib. The strike is said to have been initiated by an alliance targeting the Houthi forces. “Those planning the airstrike must have known it was likely to result in high civilian casualties and failed to take the necessary steps under global humanitarian law”, said Donatella Rovera. The violence has also prevented the delivery of aid and vital food supplies, with the World Food Programme warning the impoverished Arab state is on the brink of starvation.

More than a million people have been displaced by the fighting. Most bodies transferred to the main public hospital in Hajja were charred, according to medics.

The AI organization considered that the USA administration is also responsible for war crimes in Yemen because of Washington is doing to provide intelligence and to provide the Saudi aircrafts fuel. Of those who have been killed in the Yemen air strikes, 1,950 are reported to have been civilians.

But there have been no ground operations by coalition forces until now, with the Saudi-led coalition only providing air and logistical support for pro-government Yemeni forces on the ground.