Ansar Allah said a Saudi airstrike in Yemen killed nine civilians, including children. The US is providing support for Saudi Arabia’s war against Ansar Allah.
Ansar Allah spokesperson Anees al-Asbahi said that a Saudi airstrike hit a house in the Sahar district of Yemen’s northern Saada province, killing nine civilians, including five children and two women. Additionally, Ansar Allah reported that 19 civilians were wounded, including 11 children. The group, which controls most of Yemen’s populated regions, said several injuries were serious.
President Donald Trump is again considering direct attacks against Ansar Allah in Yemen. Saudi Arabia has requested that the US join its war against the Houthis, but so far, the President has limited American involvement to intelligence sharing and military planning.
“We may. We’re going to look at it,” Trump told reporters outside the White House last week when asked if he would order direct strikes on Yemen. “We just found out about the recent attack. So, we’ll make a decision. We move very quickly.”
Trump has rejected multiple requests from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for direct US strikes on Ansar Allah.
Trump indicated he may start direct attacks on Yemen after the election. “The Houthis are behaving very badly,” the President wrote on Truth Social Tuesday. “Somebody should explain to them that I’m not running in the Elections, I’ve already won, IN A MASSIVE LANDSLIDE, but I’ll be there after the Elections, and I will never forget!”
In 2014, Ansar Allah seized the capital city and took control over most populated regions in Yemen. Initially, the US worked with Ansar Allah to target al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. However, Saudi Arabia viewed Ansar Allah’s control of Yemen as problematic. Riyadh backs a government-in-exile, which it attempted to install in power with a mass bombing campaign, a blockade, and by backing militias opposed to Ansar Allah.
The Barack Obama administration elected to support Saudi’s war to alleviate Riyadh’s concerns over the Iran Nuclear Deal. The war killed hundreds of thousands of people, caused a cholera epidemic, and the blockade resulted in widespread malnutrition among children.
During the war, Ansar Allah developed missile and drone capabilities that were able to cause significant damage to Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure. While Riyadh and Sanaa agreed to a ceasefire in 2022, they have not reached an agreement to end the war. The fighting between Ansar Allah and Saudi Arabia reignited after the Saudis hit the Sanaa airport twice in July.
