Yemeni market hit by airstrikes

Thirteen people died and sixteen were injured when Saudi-led aircraft struck a crowded marketplace in northern Yemen on Wednesday. The Houthi-run Health Ministry reported the casualties in al-Hazm, the capital of al-Jawf province. The facility is located near a gas station. The ministry stated that three of the wounded were women. Shops and nearby houses suffered heavy damage. The ministry labeled the incident a war crime and requested an international probe. The Saudi-backed Yemeni government had not issued a statement by press time.

The attack occurred during a period of heightened tension in the region. In the southern city of Aden, an Associated Press reporter heard explosions that broke windows at the airport and in surrounding homes. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree had urged people to leave the airport. Saree claimed a Saudi cargo plane carrying weapons was on the ground. He did not provide visual evidence for the claim.

Yemeni government officials also asked the international community for aid to protect civilians in Taiz. Houthi forces have tightened their siege around the city. Taiz province has become a primary battleground in recent weeks. The city serves as a gateway to the south. It currently houses roughly half of the population displaced by the latest fighting. Governor Nabil Shamsan said residents lost access to approximately 3 million liters of water. This supply came from wells in Wadi al-Dhubab, which Shamsan said is now under Houthi control. The AP could not independently verify the water loss.

Legal affairs minister Eshraq al-Maqtari stated that more than 2,000 projectiles and explosives hit districts of Taiz in recent days. She called for actions to cut off rebel weapon supplies and funding. Shamsan noted that fighting had intensified across the province. Houthi reinforcements were deployed to multiple fronts. The city is now encircled on all four sides.

In Gaza, two Israeli strikes in the south killed one person and wounded at least six others on Wednesday. Health officials at Nasser Hospital provided the figures. One strike killed a man and critically wounded a woman. A second strike injured at least five people. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The territory’s health ministry said more than 1,550 Palestinians have died since the Israel-Hamas ceasefire began in October 2025. The ministry’s records are considered reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts.

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 described the incident as a terrorist attack. Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said the attacker was a minor carrying two knives. He shouted Allahu Akbar during the assault. Dacic said the officer, who was slightly wounded in the face, killed the assailant in self-defense. Police raised the terror threat to the highest level and increased their presence at key locations.

Diplomatic activity continued in Tehran on Monday, where Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey held a meeting. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on social media that the summit helped advance dialogue and regional peace. He argued that the countries should manage their own security without the military presence of extraregional powers. Araghchi did not provide specific details about the discussions. The talks occurred amid speculation about a return to all-out war.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held telephone calls with his Saudi and Emirati counterparts to contain the regional crisis. He spoke with Saudi Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The ministry said they discussed political solutions. Egypt stated this month that it would provide Saudi Arabia with military support to defend against Houthi attacks. The country’s highest security body made the decision, and lawmakers approved it in a closed-door vote earlier this week.