An artillery strike on a village in Hajjah province, northern Yemen, killed at least 10 people—including six children—and wounded more than 30. Yemen’s government blamed Iran-backed Houthi rebels for shelling an iftar gathering during Ramadan; Houthi officials declined to comment. The attack occurred in a province long contested since the 2014 outbreak of civil war, which has contributed to severe food insecurity in northern Yemen. Authorities warned the death toll may rise as several wounded remain in critical condition.
Ramadan Iftar Artillery Strike in Yemen Kills At Least 10, Including Six Children; Government Blames Iran-Backed Houthis
This is a locator map for Yemen with its capital, Sanaa. (AP Photo)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Cairo (AP) — An artillery strike on a village in northern Yemen on Sunday killed at least 10 people, including six children, and wounded more than 30 others, officials said Monday. Yemen’s internationally recognized government accused Iran-backed Houthi rebels of carrying out the shelling.
The attack struck a group of people gathered for iftar — the evening meal that breaks the daily fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan — in Hajjah province, according to a statement from the Information Ministry. The ministry said the death toll could rise and that several of the wounded remained in critical condition.
Details about how the attack unfolded were unclear, and Houthi officials declined to comment on the incident.
“The death toll is expected to rise,” the Information Ministry said, adding that several injured were in critical condition.
Context: Hajjah has been a frequent battleground since Yemen’s civil war escalated in 2014, when Houthi forces seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen, pushing the internationally recognized government into exile. A Saudi-led coalition, which includes the United Arab Emirates, intervened in 2015 in an effort to restore the government.
The long-running conflict has devastated Yemen’s economy and worsened humanitarian conditions. The World Food Programme has warned of "severe" food insecurity across northern provinces, including Hajjah.
This incident adds to a string of deadly episodes in the region and underscores the fragility of civilian life in contested areas of northern Yemen.
Help us improve.
