Yemeni market strikes kill 13 as siege of Taiz tightens

Thirteen people died in a crowded market in northern Yemen on Wednesday, according to the Houthi-run Health Ministry. The ministry stated that Saudi-led airstrikes hit a central market near a gas station in al-Hazm, the capital of al-Jawf province. Sixteen other people were wounded in the attack. The ministry reported that three women were among the injured and that nearby shops and houses suffered heavy damage.

The Houthi Health Ministry called the attack a war crime in a statement. It demanded an international investigation into the incident. The Saudi-backed Yemeni government did not release an immediate statement. In the southern city of Aden, an Associated Press reporter witnessed explosions that shattered windows at the airport building and in nearby homes. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree urged everyone at the airport to evacuate. Saree claimed a Saudi military cargo plane carrying weapons was present, though he did not provide evidence.

Yemeni government officials appealed to the international community for help to protect civilians in Taiz. They asked for support to reopen roads into the city as Iran-backed Houthi rebels tightened their siege. Taiz province has become a major battlefront in recent weeks. The city serves as a gateway to the country’s south. It has taken in around half of Yemen’s population displaced by the latest fighting. This influx has strained limited resources.

Nabil Shamsan, the Taiz governor, said residents lost access to about 3 million liters of water. That is approximately 793,000 gallons. Shamsan stated that the water came from wells in Wadi al-Dhubab, which is now under Houthi control. The Associated Press could not independently verify that claim. Shamsan said fighting intensified across the province. He noted that the Houthis deployed reinforcements to multiple fronts. The city is now encircled on all four sides.

Eshraq al-Maqtari, a legal affairs minister in Yemen’s internationally recognized government, said more than 2,000 projectiles and explosives struck Taiz city districts in recent days. She called for measures to cut off the rebels’ weapon supplies and funding.

In southern Gaza, two Israeli strikes on Wednesday killed one person and wounded at least six others, according to health officials at Nasser Hospital. The first strike killed one man and critically wounded a woman. Another strike wounded at least five others. Israel’s military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. More than 1,550 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by the Israeli military since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began in October 2025. The territory’s health ministry maintains detailed records. U.N. agencies and independent experts regard the ministry as generally reliable.

In Belgrade, Serbia, a police officer guarding the Israeli Embassy shot and killed a man who attacked him with a knife just after midnight on Wednesday. Police said the incident was a terrorist attack. Serbia’s Interior Minister Ivica Dacic stated that police treated the incident as a terrorist attack. He raised the terror threat to the highest level. Police increased their presence at key locations. Dacic described the attacker as a minor who had two knives. The assailant attacked the member of the Gendarmerie while shouting Allahu Akbar. Dacic added that the police officer, who was slightly wounded in the face, killed the assailant in self-defense.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a meeting between Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey in Tehran on Monday advanced dialogue and regional peace. Araghchi posted comments on social media stating that the countries should be responsible for their own security. He said this should be done without the military presence of extraregional powers. The talks occurred amid speculation about a return to all-out war. Saudi Arabia continues to face repeated attacks from the Houthis in Yemen. Araghchi gave no details on the meeting.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty discussed political solutions to the ongoing crisis in telephone calls with Saudi and Emirati counterparts. He spoke with Saudi Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE. Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said these calls aimed to contain the crisis in the region. Egypt said this month that it will provide Saudi Arabia with military support. This support is intended to defend the kingdom against attacks by Yemen’s Houthis. The country’s highest security body made the decision. Lawmakers approved the plan earlier this week in a closed-door vote.