The death toll from fresh U.S. airstrikes on a crowded market in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, has risen to 12, with at least 30 others wounded, according to Houthi-controlled health authorities. The airstrikes occurred on Sunday evening (April 20), targeting the Farwah market in the Shu'ub neighborhood, one of the busiest markets in Sanaa. Rescue operations are ongoing, with teams searching for survivors and victims beneath the rubble.
These strikes were part of a broader wave of U.S. airstrikes that hit multiple locations in and around Sanaa on the same day, as reported by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV. The incident follows deadly airstrikes on the Ras Isa fuel port in western Yemen late Thursday night, which killed 80 people and wounded 170 others, causing widespread damage to fuel storage infrastructure and leading to fuel spills into the Red Sea.
Tensions between the Houthi group and the U.S. military have escalated since Washington resumed airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen on March 15 to deter the group from attacking Israel and U.S. warships in the Red Sea. The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, stated that their attacks aim to pressure U.S.-backed Israel to stop its offensive against the Gaza Strip and allow the entry of humanitarian aid into the Palestinian enclave.
UN Special Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg voiced grave concern over the recent U.S. airstrikes in and around the Ras Isa fuel port, stating, "I am gravely concerned about the impact of the U.S. airstrikes in and around Ras Isa port on civilians, particularly truck drivers and port workers, as well as on civilian infrastructure." He highlighted that the cycle of attacks on the Red Sea by Houthis and the United States "jeopardizes peace efforts and risks drawing Yemen further into the regional conflict," urging all sides to exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, and protect civilians following international law.
Grundberg emphasized that attacks on the Red Sea must stop with "credible guarantees" to prevent it from becoming a prolonged arena of conflict, which are "essential" for keeping Yemen from sliding further away from peace and for global security.
In the deadliest raid since the renewed U.S. airstrikes in mid-March, the U.S. military launched a series of attacks on Thursday night targeting the Houthi-controlled Ras Isa fuel port and concrete tanks storing imported fuel. According to Houthi-run health authorities, at least 80 people were killed and 150 others wounded. Among the casualties were port workers and five paramedics, who were reportedly killed in a second wave of airstrikes while arriving on ambulances to assist the wounded.
Early Saturday (April 19), Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of the Houthi Revolutionary Committee, vowed to retaliate against the renewed U.S. airstrikes. The group later claimed to have shot down two U.S.-made MQ-9 drones within 24 hours.
(Source: Xinhua, Reuters, CNN)
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