At least 12 people have been killed and over 30 wounded following US air strikes on a busy market in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, on Sunday evening, according to the Houthi-controlled health authorities.
The air strikes targeted the Farwah market in the Shu’ub neighborhood, one of the most crowded areas in Sanaa, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported. Rescue teams are still at the scene, searching for survivors and victims trapped beneath the rubble.
“We heard a loud explosion, and then the entire market was engulfed in smoke and dust,” said a local resident. “There were screams and chaos as people tried to flee.”
The Sunday strikes were part of a series of US air assaults that hit multiple locations in and around Sanaa, the Houthi media outlet added. The attacks have intensified tensions in the region, following a deadly air strike on the Ras Isa fuel port in western Yemen late Thursday night, which reportedly killed 80 people and wounded 170 others.
Local officials say the strikes have caused widespread damage to vital infrastructure, including fuel storage facilities, leading to fuel spills into the Red Sea and raising environmental concerns.
The recent escalation comes amid rising hostilities between the Houthi group and the US military. Washington resumed air strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen on March 15, aiming to deter the group from attacking Israel and US warships in the Red Sea.
The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, claim their actions are in response to US-backed Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip. They demand an end to the offensive and immediate access for humanitarian aid into the Palestinian enclave.
The ongoing conflict has raised fears of a broader regional crisis, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence. International organizations continue to call for a ceasefire and urgent humanitarian assistance for affected populations.
