At least 30 people were killed and eight wounded in an airstrike on a market in Al-Waziya city, Taiz province, southwestern Yemen, on Friday, according to Houthi rebels. The attack marks one of the deadliest incidents since fighting resumed between the Iran-allied Houthis and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government in July.
Anis al-Asbahi, a spokesperson for the Houthi health ministry, stated that Saudi enemy aircraft targeted the market with multiple strikes. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree added that three airstrikes hit the Al Hadara market in Al-Waziya at approximately 7 am on Friday, claiming the warplanes departed from the Saudi base of Khamis Mushait.
However, Yemeni government forces accused the Houthis of firing a ballistic missile at the market, condemning it as a “war crime.” Authorities in Taiz, affiliated with the internationally recognised Yemeni government, also blamed “indiscriminate Houthi missile fire” and denied any air raids took place in the area. The Associated Press has not been able to independently verify these claims.
The Saudi information ministry has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the incident.
The Houthi-operated Al Masirah TV reported that the death toll from Friday morning’s attack is preliminary, with search efforts for missing individuals continuing as aircraft were still overhead.
The exact responsibility for the attack remains disputed, and reports vary on the precise number of casualties. It is also unclear how many people were present at the market at the time of the strikes.
Background
- Yemen slipped back into war between the Iran-allied Houthis and the Saudi-backed government in July after years of relative calm.
- Since then, Saudi Arabia has regularly bombed Houthi positions, while the group has increased its attacks against the oil-rich kingdom.
- Fierce fighting has been ongoing in Taiz province since the Houthis launched a major offensive in September.
- On October 5, 2026, the internationally recognised Yemeni government launched a counter-offensive called Operation Dawn of Yemen to reclaim Houthi-held territory. As part of this operation, Yemen's armed forces claim to have conducted 1,211 attacks on Houthi targets, neutralising approximately 387 fighters and commanders and destroying or disabling 96 military vehicles and assets.
What happens next
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree warned of retaliation for what he called a "massacre." Local authorities in Taiz have called for an independent technical investigation to determine responsibility for the attack.
