Deadliest week in Yemen: US-led strikes kill 25 civilians
United States-led airstrikes have resulted in the deaths of at least 25 civilians in Yemen over the past week, making it the most lethal week of bombings in the country since the concluding phases of the Washington-supported Saudi conflict in January 2022.
According to a report published on Tuesday by the Yemen Data Project, 25 civilians were killed as a result of 38 US-led airstrikes conducted between March 15 and 21. Additionally, the report noted that 28 individuals sustained injuries during these attacks.
An independent monitoring organization reported that 21 of the 38 U.S. airstrikes targeted civilian rather than military sites.
According to reports, a series of civilian sites were struck, including a medical storage facility, a healthcare center, a school, a wedding venue, residential zones, a cotton processing plant, a health administration office, Bedouin tents, and Al-Eiman University.
In the most lethal U.S. airstrike during the initial week of its bombing campaign, a residential area in Yemen’s northwestern Sa’ada province was hit, resulting in the deaths of ten civilians and injuring eleven others, including children.
The United States launched airstrikes on Yemen on March 15, following Yemen’s resumption of actions against ships linked to Israel. This move was in retaliation for Israel’s blockade of aid to Gaza, which breached a ceasefire agreement with the Hamas resistance group.
In November 2023, the Yemeni Armed Forces launched a naval campaign targeting Israel, following a month after Israel initiated military operations in the Gaza Strip.
In a show of solidarity with the Palestinian people, Yemeni forces suspended their military operations in January. This decision coincided with Israel’s agreement to a three-phase ceasefire in the Gaza region.
Two months later, Israel unilaterally ended the ceasefire agreement with Gaza, initiating a renewed and intense military offensive on the enclave.
**United States Launches Latest Airstrikes in Yemen**
Yemeni media outlets reported on Tuesday that the United States conducted 17 airstrikes in the Sa’ada region, with an additional two strikes occurring in the adjacent ‘Amran province.
Reports indicate that American aircraft conducted “aggressive air raids,” resulting in material damage to civilian properties. However, no information regarding casualties has been provided.
