20 dead as Saudi-led forces hit Yemen’s Houthi group
The coalition also said it intercepted eight Houthi drones launched towards Saudi Arabia
ADEN, YEMEN: Airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthi group on the capital Sanaa killed at least 20 people overnight, including civilians, Houthi media and residents said, in one of its deadliest attacks since 2019.
Around 14 people were killed when coalition planes struck the home of a high-ranking Houthi military official, including his wife and son, according to neighbours and a medic.
The airstrikes followed Monday’s drone and missile attack on coalition partner the United Arab Emirates that was claimed by the Iran-aligned Houthis and killed three people.
The coalition also said it intercepted eight Houthi drones launched towards Saudi Arabia on Monday. Early on Tuesday, the coalition said it had begun airstrikes against strongholds and camps in Sanaa belonging to the Houthi group, Saudi state media said.
Houthi media named the
Houthi military official whose home was struck as Abdullah Qassim al-Junaid, the former head of the Houthis’ aviation college. The strike killed him, his wife, his 25-year-old son, other family members and other unidentified people, the medical source and residents told Reuters.
On Tuesday men at the aftermath combed through rubble, strewn with belongings, books and twisted metal, as well as debris from heavily damaged neighbouring houses.
At the scene Ahmad al-Ahdal said his uncle’s house was hit after the strike on Junaid’s home. “My uncle went in with rescuers to extract the victims in Junaid’s house,” he said. “We have been unable to find him since then.”
Junaid was among over 170 Houthi officials sentenced to death by firing squad in August by a court in the province of Marib.
The court found the defendants, most of whom were tried in absentia, guilty of staging a military coup and committing war crimes, state media reported at the time.
Coalition strikes around the city overnight killed a total of about 20 people, the deputy foreign minister for the Houthi administration, which holds much of northern Yemen, said on Twitter.
Mortal remains of two Indians to be repatriated The Indian government is working closely with the UAE government to bring back the mortal remains of the two Indian nationals who died in the tanker explosion in Abu Dhabi, the Indian Embassy in UAE informed on Tuesday.
“17 Jan incident: Identities of 2 deceased Indians established. Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi officials are in touch with their family.
“Mission is working closely with UAE authorities, including ADNOC, for early repatriation of mortal remains,” the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi has tweeted.