Houthis claim Saudi air raid on Yemen prison killed seven
Yemen's Houthi rebels accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out an air strike on a prison in al-Hazm, killing seven people including a child. The attack also wounded at least seven others, according to a Houthi health ministry spokesperson. Saudi Arabia has not commented on the allegations, while the Houthis also claimed to have shot down four Saudi reconnaissance drones in the past 24 hours.
The Houthi-run health ministry reported the casualties, while Al Masirah TV aired footage of a collapsed structure and rescue efforts. Riyadh has not responded to these accusations. Separately, the Houthis claimed to have downed four Saudi reconnaissance drones, including a CH-4 model, within a single day.
The incident follows recent territorial gains by Yemen's internationally recognized government in several provinces, alongside counterattacks near Taiz and Hodeidah linked to a Houthi push for the Bab al-Mandeb strait. The UN envoy has cautioned that the escalation could trigger a full-scale war, recalling past coalition strikes on prisons in Saada and Dhamar that killed hundreds.
This escalation could significantly worsen civilian safety in Yemen, particularly for detainees and displaced populations in border provinces. Renewed fighting near critical maritime routes may disrupt humanitarian aid delivery and force further displacement. The UN's warning suggests that without immediate restraint, localized clashes could spiral into a broader regional conflict, potentially drawing in neighboring states and prolonging the decade-long humanitarian crisis.