Yemen: Saudi-led coalition airstrike kills 26 in Ad-Durayhimi August 23 /update 11

Event

On Thursday, August 23, Houthi media reported that a Saudi-led coalition airstrike had killed at least 26 people in Ad-Durayhimi district (Al-Hudaydah province), south of the port city of Al-Hudaydah. Emirati state media also reported that a Houthi missile had killed one person and wounded dozens of others in the district. Additional coalition airstrikes and Houthi missile attacks are possible in Al-Hudaydah province, particularly in Ad-Durayhimi district, in the near-term.

Context

Fighting between the Houthis and coalition forces in and around the port city of Al-Hudaydah resumed in late July after a brief ceasefire. Houthi fighters have held the city and its port since 2014. Negotiations for a peaceful resolution to the city's conflict, and the war more broadly, have failed. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), at least 50,000 households have been displaced from Al-Hudaydah in the fighting.

Yemen is engaged in a complex and deadly conflict, ongoing since Houthi rebels entered into a civil war with the Yemeni government, supported by a Saudi-led coalition, in 2015. The Saudi-led coalition has carried out thousands of airstrikes in Yemen since its intervention began. Hundreds of Yemeni civilians have been killed in the strikes, which have hit schools, hospitals, and markets, in addition to Houthi militant positions and personnel. In total, more than 10,000 Yemenis have died in the fighting and some 3 million have been displaced.

Advice

Due to poor security conditions, many Western governments strongly advise their citizens against all travel to Yemen. Travel to the country should only be considered with proper security protocols in place. Professional security advice and support should be sought prior to travel.