Saudi Airstrikes Kill at Least 14 at Yemen Market, Houthi-Led Health Ministry Says

Saudi airstrikes hit a market and a gas station in Yemen's northern al-Jawf province on Wednesday, killing at least 14 civilians and wounding 15, according to the Health Ministry of the Ansar Allah-led Yemeni government. The ministry said on Telegram that the strikes hit the al-Hazm Central Market during peak shopping hours, several nearby homes and a gas station, and it called the toll preliminary. Iran-backed Houthi rebels blamed Saudi-led strikes. Yemeni officials separately appealed for international support to protect civilians in Taiz as the Houthis tightened their siege of the city. The Yemen Data Project says Saudi airstrikes killed at least 66 civilians in September, after Riyadh reignited the war in July by bombing Sanaa International Airport. On October 21 the ministry said 155 civilians had been killed since July. On Tuesday, Geneva-based intelligence firm AURORAH Geosignal Intelligence accused Russia of using its satellite network to help Iran-backed militias in Yemen and Iraq attack Saudi targets last month.

Breitbart, the right-leaning outlet, takes a different angle. Its headline and excerpt center on the AURORAH report alleging Russian satellite help for Iran-backed militias attacking Saudi Arabia, and they do not mention the al-Jawf market strike or any civilian casualties. Left-leaning outlets had not reported this story at the time of writing, while alternative and right-leaning outlets had. Antiwar.com leads with the civilian toll, quoting the Health Ministry, and adds the US role, saying up to 200 American advisors provide intelligence and targeting support. AP also leads with the 14 deaths, attributing them to the Houthis, and adds the Taiz siege. The sides therefore agree that Iran-backed groups and Saudi Arabia are in conflict, but they differ on whether the focus is Saudi strikes on civilians or Russian aid to militias.