Yemen airstrikes kill 44, mostly women and children, near capital
Houthi health officials report a surge in casualties in Al-Shariya as rescue teams continue searching for missing residents.
By Fatou Kim ·
44 people died in aerial attacks near the capital of Yemen, according to Houthi health officials. The strikes hit residential areas in the village of Al-Shariya, located east of Sanaa, on Saturday. By late Sunday, authorities had confirmed the death toll, which includes 21 children and 10 women.
Anees al-Asbahi, the spokesperson for the Houthi-led Health Ministry, stated that 40 others were injured. Among the wounded are eight children and nine women. Al-Asbahi noted that rescue teams were still searching the site for missing persons. This ongoing search suggests the final count of fatalities could increase.
The Houthi group, which receives support from Iran, attributed the attacks to Saudi Arabia. The strikes occurred during a recent spike in fighting between the rebels and the Saudi-led coalition. This latest phase of the Yemen civil war has already resulted in hundreds of deaths in Yemen and dozens in Saudi Arabia.
In Tehran, the Iranian Foreign Ministry responded to criticism from Washington. On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described Iran’s demands for ending the war as ridiculous. He argued that the terms were not only unacceptable but also unrealistic at the current moment.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, dismissed Rubio’s comments on Monday. Baghaei called the U.S. military strikes during previous negotiation rounds in June 2025 and February 2026 illogical. He labeled the war a criminal act and insisted that Iran’s conditions were reasonable.
Iran’s proposed terms include the end of the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, the lifting of sanctions, and the release of frozen assets. They also seek compensation for war damages and a halt to hostilities across the region, including Israeli operations in Lebanon. Baghaei said Iran’s plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume nuclear talks with the U.S. remains available. The country recently shortened the timeline for implementing its seven-step plan from seven days to two.
President Donald Trump met with Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, at the White House on Monday. Qatar has served as a mediator in the efforts to resolve the conflict between Washington and Tehran. Trump told CNN on Sunday that he prefers a diplomatic solution. He stated that resuming attacks is very unlikely if the two sides sign a solid agreement.
