SANAA, Yemen – At least 44 people have been killed and 40 others wounded in airstrikes that hit homes in a village east of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, according to health authorities in the Houthi-controlled administration. The authorities blamed Saudi Arabia for the November 7 attacks, which reportedly struck the village of al-Shariya in Bani Hushaysh district.
Anees al-Asbahi, spokesperson for the Houthi-run Health Ministry, said the dead included 21 children and 10 women. The wounded included eight children and nine women. Rescue teams were still searching damaged buildings for missing residents, raising the possibility that the reported death toll could increase.
The figures have not been independently verified, and Saudi Arabia had not publicly confirmed responsibility for the strikes in the available reporting.
Death Toll Rises as Rescue Efforts Continue
The reported number of people killed increased substantially after the initial reports on Saturday.
The Houthi-run Health Ministry initially reported 22 deaths and 30 injuries. Later updates raised the toll, with officials eventually reporting 44 fatalities and 40 wounded.
The strikes reportedly destroyed or damaged homes in al-Shariya, a farming village northeast of Sanaa. Footage released by Houthi-run Al-Masirah television showed damaged buildings and injured residents being taken for medical treatment.
The Associated Press said it could not independently verify the Houthi authorities’ account. Saudi officials had not immediately responded to requests for comment when the initial reports were published.
Saudi-Led Coalition Reports Strikes on Houthi Facilities
The reported attack came amid escalating military exchanges between the Houthis and forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which receives Saudi support.
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The Saudi-led coalition said it had destroyed three Houthi facilities linked to missile production, according to the Associated Press. The statement did not independently establish whether coalition forces were responsible for the strikes on al-Shariya.
The Houthis, meanwhile, accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out the attacks and said their military operations against Saudi targets were retaliation for the civilian casualties in Yemen.
The competing accounts underscore the difficulty of independently establishing responsibility for individual attacks during the renewed fighting.
Renewed Fighting Threatens Yemen’s Fragile Truce
The latest violence follows the collapse of a truce that had largely halted direct attacks between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis since 2022.
Fighting intensified again during the summer of 2026, as government-aligned forces launched operations against Houthi-held territory. The renewed conflict has involved airstrikes, missile attacks and ground operations across several parts of Yemen.
The escalation has also raised concerns about the security of regional shipping routes, including the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and serves as a major passage for international maritime trade.
The reported deaths in al-Shariya add to the civilian toll of a conflict that has already caused extensive displacement, food insecurity and damage to essential infrastructure.
Primary Sources: Houthi-run Ministry of Health — Statements attributed to spokesperson Anees al-Asbahi on the casualties in al-Shariya. The statements were reported by the Associated Press; an independently accessible original ministry release was not located. Saudi-led coalition — Statement concerning the destruction of three Houthi facilities linked to missile production, reported in the Associated Press’s November 9 coverage.
