Houthi Rebels Report 44 Dead in Sanaa Airstrikes
Saudi Arabia reports a pipeline hit in Medina, while Tehran rejects U.S. criticism of its peace terms.
By Marina Weber ·
Airstrikes near the Yemeni capital have killed at least 44 people, according to officials in the Houthi-led government who released updated figures late Sunday. The attacks targeted the village of al-Shariya, located east of Sanaa, on Saturday, marking one of the deadliest incidents in the ongoing conflict.
Anees al-Asbahi, the spokesperson for the Houthi-run Health Ministry, stated that most of the victims were women and children. He specified that 21 children and 10 women were among the dead. A further 40 people were wounded in the strikes, a group that included eight children and nine women. Al-Asbahi noted that rescue teams continued to search the debris, suggesting the final count may rise. He attributed the strikes to Saudi Arabia, a move that occurred during a period of intense fighting between the Iran-backed rebels and the kingdom.
Saudi officials addressed a separate incident in the Medina region on Monday. The Energy Ministry reported that an attack caused a limited fire at a pipeline facility. Officials said the flames were extinguished quickly and that operations continued without interruption. The ministry confirmed there were no casualties but did not identify the perpetrators. The Houthis, who have frequently targeted Saudi infrastructure, had not immediately commented on the specific event in Medina. This followed a previous strike the day before in which debris from intercepted missiles damaged a Saudi Aramco office tower in Riyadh. The Houthis claimed responsibility for that attack on the capital.
Diplomatic exchanges also took place regarding the broader regional conflict. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani denied reports that his country planned to send fighters to Yemen. Speaking at a press conference in Damascus, al-Shibani said Syria had no immediate plans to deploy forces outside its borders. He noted that any such military operation would be announced publicly rather than conducted in secret. This statement followed a report by The Associated Press that Syria was preparing to send 600 special forces fighters to Saudi Arabia's border with Yemen.
In Tehran, the foreign ministry responded to criticism from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio had described Iranian demands for ending the war as outrageous and ridiculous on Sunday. Esmail Baghaei, the foreign ministry spokesperson, dismissed these comments at a Monday briefing. Baghaei argued that U.S. military strikes during negotiations in June 2025 and February 2026 were the truly illogical actions. He stated that Iran's demands remained on the table. These demands include ending the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, lifting sanctions, unfreezing assets, providing compensation for war damage, and stopping hostilities in the region, including Israeli operations in Lebanon.
President Donald Trump met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the White House on Monday. Qatar has played a role in mediating efforts to end the war between the U.S. and Iran. Separately, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan voiced concerns about the situation during a return flight from Azerbaijan. He told journalists that he had discussed his worries with Trump. Erdogan said, We do not want a new wave of attacks to be launched against Iran, nor do we wish to see our region dragged into further instability. He added that a shift in a negative direction was currently visible.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi traveled to Iran on Saturday to deliver a message from Trump. Two Iraqi officials familiar with the trip said the goal was to contain tensions and prevent the region from sliding into war. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly. According to the officials, Iran maintained a firm position during the meeting and insisted it would make no concessions in the negotiations.
