Houthi airstrikes kill 44 near Yemen's capital as Iran rejects U.S. demands

Houthi health officials reported that 44 people died in airstrikes near Sanaa, Yemen's capital, late Sunday. The strikes hit the village of al-Shariya on Saturday, killing 21 children and 10 women. Anees al-Asbahi, the spokesperson for the Houthi-run Health Ministry, stated that 40 others were wounded, including eight children and nine women. He described the incident as one of the deadliest attacks in the ongoing civil war. Rescue teams were still searching the area for missing individuals as of late Sunday.

The Houthi faction blamed Saudi Arabia for the bombardment. The attacks occurred during a period of intensified fighting between the Iran-backed rebels and the Saudi kingdom. This escalation has resulted in hundreds of deaths in Yemen and dozens in Saudi Arabia. Al-Asbahi noted that the high number of civilian casualties, particularly among women and children, marked a severe blow to the population.

In a separate diplomatic development, Iran's foreign ministry dismissed comments made by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. On Sunday, Rubio described Iranian demands for ending the war as outrageous and ridiculous. Esmail Baghaei, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, responded on Monday by calling U.S. strikes from June 2025 and February 2026 illogical. He labeled the war a criminal act and argued that Iran's requests were reasonable.

Baghaei listed Iran's specific demands, which include ending the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, lifting sanctions, and unfreezing Iranian assets. The list also covers compensation for war damage and a halt to hostilities across the region, including Israeli operations in Lebanon. He maintained that Iran's proposal to lift sanctions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz remains on the table. Iran recently shortened the timetable for implementing its seven-step plan from seven days to two.

President Donald Trump indicated a preference for diplomacy in a phone interview with CNN on Sunday. He stated that resuming strikes is highly unlikely if progress is made toward a strong agreement with Tehran. Trump is scheduled to meet with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the White House on Monday. Qatar has assisted in mediating efforts to resolve the conflict between the U.S. and Iran.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan voiced concerns about regional stability on a return flight from Azerbaijan. He said he discussed his worries with Trump and opposed a new wave of attacks on Iran. Erdogan stated that the region is shifting in a negative direction and that Turkey is working to prevent further instability.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi traveled to Iran on Saturday to deliver a message from Trump aimed at containing tensions. Two Iraqi officials who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed the trip. They reported that Iran remained firm in its position and insisted on making no concessions in the negotiations.