After a temporary ceasefire expired in May, both parties of Yemen’s war have carried out attacks affecting the civilian population. The third and most recent incident, administered by the Saudi-led coalition, has left at least seven civilians dead.

In Yemen’s al-Jawf province, the third air strike since June has killed residents as violence in the region is slowly on the climb again. In late May, the temporary ceasefire prompted by the Coronavirus pandemic expired; since then, the Houthis have staged missile-and-drone attacks on cities with a Saudi presence, something that the coalition has responded to with air strikes.

Although residents and some reports are saying that seven people were killed, a Houthi rebel health ministry spokesperson has said that there were actually nine people who died from the attacks.

The air strikes hit civilians’ homes in al-Jawf province’s al-Hazm district. The victims included two women and two children.

Earlier this week, the Houthis led attacks in Saudi border cities “in response” to the previous air strikes in the Hajjah area that killed 10 civilians, claims that the coalition said that it would investigate.

Another air strike carried out by the coalition killed at least 12 people, including four children, back in June. The attack took place in Yemen’s Saada province, according to the Houthis and a UN official. The coalition stated that it struck a vehicle transporting armed combatants.

“It is incomprehensible that in the middle of the COVID pandemic, when options for a ceasefire are on the table, civilians continue being killed in Yemen.”

Lisa Grande, Yemen coordinator for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

The Saudi-led coalition intervened over 5 years ago in Yemen after the Iran-backed Houthi rebels took over power from the Saudi-backed government in the nation’s capital of Sanaa. Many see the conflict as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

In a controversial move, the U.N. removed the coalition from a U.N. blacklist after it remained on the list multiple years since first being accused of killing and wounding civilian children within Yemen.

The conflict has killed over 100,000 people, displaced around 4 million, and pushed 80% of the country into dependence on aid for survival in just over 5 years. Paired alongside famine, cholera, and now Coronavirus, Yemen is suffering “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.”

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Sources: