An artillery strike on a village in northern Yemen led to the killing of at least 10 people, including six children, while 30 were injured, officials said on Monday. Government authorities accused Iran-backed Houthi rebels of carrying out the shelling.
According to the Information Ministry, the attack targeted a gathering of people who had assembled for iftar, the evening meal that ends the daily fast during the holy month of Ramadan. The strike took place in Hajjah province. Although most of the province is under Houthi control, certain areas remain held by Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which operates from the southern city of Aden.
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Details surrounding Sunday’s attack remain unclear and Houthi officials have not responded to requests for comments. Clashes between Houthi fighters and government forces have continued in Hajjah since Yemen descended into civil war in 2014.
That year, the Houthis captured the capital, Sanaa, along with large parts of northern Yemen, forcing the government into exile. In 2015, a Saudi-led coalition that includes the United Arab Emirates intervened in support of the government, seeking to restore it to power.
Years of fighting have devastated Yemen’s economy and deepened the humanitarian crisis. The World Food Program has warned that northern provinces such as Hajjah were facing severe levels of food insecurity.
In its statement, the Information Ministry said the death toll could increase, noting that several of those injured remain in critical condition.
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