Middle East Conflict: Houthi Rebels Claim 13 Dead in Yemen Market Strikes
Saudi-led airstrikes hit a crowded market in al-Jawf province, while a knife attack occurred at the Israeli Embassy in Serbia and regional leaders held diplomatic talks.
By Lauren Bello ·
Thirteen people died and 16 others were injured when Saudi-led airstrikes struck a busy market in northern Yemen on Wednesday. The Houthi-run Health Ministry reported that three women were among those wounded. Shops and nearby houses sustained heavy damage in the blast.
The strikes targeted a central market near a gas station in al-Hazm, the capital of al-Jawf province. The ministry stated the area was packed with shoppers at the time of the attack. It labeled the incident a war crime requiring an international investigation. The Saudi-backed Yemeni government did not issue an immediate statement regarding the casualty count.
Earlier developments show the conflict has intensified across the region. In the southern city of Aden, an Associated Press reporter heard explosions that shattered windows at the airport and surrounding homes. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree urged everyone to evacuate the airport. He claimed a Saudi military cargo plane carrying weapons was on site, though he provided no physical evidence to support the assertion.
Yemeni government officials simultaneously appealed for international help to protect civilians in Taiz. The Houthis have tightened their siege of the city, which serves as a gateway to the country's south. Taiz province has taken in roughly half of the population displaced by recent fighting, straining local resources.
Nabil Shamsan, the governor of Taiz, said residents lost access to approximately 3 million liters of water from wells in Wadi al-Dhubab. He claimed that area is now under Houthi control, a figure the Associated Press could not independently verify. Shamsan reported that fighting has intensified as the Houthis deployed reinforcements to multiple fronts, encircling the city on all four sides.
Eshraq al-Maqtari, Yemen's legal affairs minister, stated that more than 2,000 projectiles and explosives fired by the Houthis struck Taiz city districts in recent days. She called for measures to cut off the rebels' weapon supplies and funding.
In southern Gaza, two Israeli strikes killed one person and wounded at least six others on Wednesday, according to health officials at Nasser Hospital. The first strike killed one man and critically wounded a woman. A second strike injured at least five others. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Gaza health ministry reports that more than 1,550 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military since the ceasefire with Hamas began in October 2025.
In Serbia, a police officer guarding the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade shot and killed a man who attacked him with a knife just after midnight on Wednesday. The assailant was a minor carrying two knives. He shouted Allahu Akbar while attacking the officer from an elite unit. The officer sustained slight facial wounds but killed the attacker in self-defense.
Ivica Dacic, Serbia's Interior Minister, declared the incident a terrorist attack. He raised the terror threat to the highest level and increased police presence at key locations. Dacic described the officer's actions as defensive.
Regional diplomats are moving to manage the escalating tensions. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi hailed a Monday meeting in Tehran with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey as a step toward dialogue. He said the countries should handle their own security without the military presence of extraregional powers. Araghchi provided no specific details about the meeting's outcome.
Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held telephone calls with Saudi Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE to discuss political solutions. Egypt announced this month that it will provide military support to Saudi Arabia to defend the kingdom against Houthi attacks. The country's lawmakers approved this decision in a closed-door vote earlier this week.
Officials in Yemen, Gaza, and Serbia are expected to provide further updates as the day progresses. The Houthi ministry stated the report on the market strikes would be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.
