Yemen Peace Project

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June 8-14: Houthis escalate cross-border drone attacks, coalition airstrikes kill civilians in San’a

Sunday, June 9

Al-Masirah, a Houthi propaganda agency, reported that Houthi drones targeted Saudi drone  facilities at Jizan International Airport, which al-Masirah claims has been converted into a military airbase. Saudi Arabian air defense forces intercepted two of the Houthi aircraft.

Monday, June 10
A woman and her three daughters were injured when a Houthi shell struck their home in northern Ta’iz today, al-Masdar Online reports.

Tuesday, June 11

The Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday that its coalition had "intensified" air raids on Houthi positions in northwest Yemen.

Al-Masdar Online reports that the Abu al-Abbas Brigades, a pro-Salafist force active in the city of Ta’iz, has been renamed the “Support and Reinforcement Brigade” as Taiz authorities begin to integrate the group into pro-government forces in the city.

Nine people died of cholera in Abyan province in the last month, with the number of cases in Abyah reaching 650, according to public health officials in the governorate, reports al-Masdar Online.

Wednesday, June 12

Houthi rebels injured 26 in a missile attack on Najran Airport in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi-UAE-led coalition declared that this attack proves Ansar Allah has access to "advanced weapons from Iran," and that they intend to pursue classifying the attack as a war crime. In response to the attack, the coalition launched air strikes on the rebel-held Yemeni capital, San’a, which reportedly killed at least six people, including four children.

According to al-Masdar Online, sit-ins were resumed at the Port of Sarfit, Marib governorate yesterday in protest of Saudi military presence in the area. According to the article, Saudi Arabia agreed to withdraw forces from the area in early May in response to similar protests, but failed to follow through on this agreement.

Thursday, June 13

Two oil tankers were attacked in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday. The Saudi-led coalition as well as the US were quick to blame Iran, but the Iranian government denounced the attack and denied involvement. The Houthis’ recent escalation of drone and missile attacks in Saudi Arabia combined with this inflated tension fuels fears of a wider conflict between US allies and Iranian-aligned groups the region.

Friday, June 14

On Friday morning, the Saudi air defense unit intercepted and shot down five Houthi drones targeting Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia. This attack would be the second Houthi assault on the Abha Airport in two days. Asharq al-Awsat reported that Saudi-led Arab coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Maliki vowed to take the “necessary deterrent measures to deal with these hostile acts in line with International Humanitarian Law."