Sanaa, Sep 2026 : An airstrike hit a prison in Yemen's Houthi-controlled Al-Jawf province, causing casualties and leaving dozens of people trapped beneath the rubble, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported, attributing the attack to the Saudi-led coalition.
The strike targeted a prison in Al-Hazm, the provincial capital, on Monday, according to the report. Al-Masirah said women and children were among those affected in the attack, although details about the exact number of casualties were not immediately available.
The prison director, quoted by the Houthi-run broadcaster, said 35 inmates and a woman who was visiting her husband remained trapped under the debris following the strike.
Television footage broadcast by al-Masirah appeared to show extensive damage to the prison complex, with rescue workers searching through collapsed sections of the facility in an effort to locate survivors and those trapped beneath the rubble.
There was no immediate response from Saudi authorities regarding the reported airstrike or the allegations made by the Houthi broadcaster.
The reported attack comes amid a renewed escalation in Yemen's prolonged conflict. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said on social media platform X that Saudi military operations in Yemen would not go unanswered. He alleged that the operations included airstrikes, reconnaissance flights and the provision of weapons to forces aligned with Yemen's internationally recognised government.
Yemen has been embroiled in a devastating conflict since late 2014, when the Houthi movement seized Sanaa and large parts of northern Yemen. The development prompted a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in the conflict the following year in support of the internationally recognised Yemeni government.
A UN-brokered truce that began in April 2022 expired six months later without a formal extension. However, a fragile de facto ceasefire largely helped contain the level of violence for an extended period, despite the absence of a comprehensive political settlement.
Tensions have intensified in recent months. The Houthis announced a maritime ban on Saudi shipping in July and have subsequently claimed attacks targeting Saudi tankers and oil facilities inside Saudi Arabia.
The latest escalation has raised concern among international organisations about the possibility of a wider return to sustained hostilities.
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg described recent Houthi attacks across several frontlines as “an extremely alarming development,” warning that the situation could further widen the conflict.
In a statement posted on X, Grundberg said reports of civilians being killed and injured, families being displaced and civilian infrastructure being damaged were deeply troubling.
He warned that a return to prolonged, large-scale fighting would have severe consequences for Yemen's civilian population and could make the already challenging path towards a political settlement even more difficult.
Grundberg called on all parties to immediately cease hostilities, exercise maximum restraint and make use of existing communication mechanisms, including the UN's Military Coordination Committee, to prevent further escalation.
The UN envoy said he would continue direct engagement with the parties involved in an effort to contain the current escalation and preserve room for dialogue. He also urged regional and international actors to use their influence to support de-escalation efforts and prevent the conflict from spiralling into a broader confrontation.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
