The Houthis of Yemen and the Saudi armed forces have resumed in recent hours an intense exchange of bombings that has reached the vicinity of the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, as well as the Saudi regions of Asir —where one person has been injured— and Najran. Likewise, facilities of the Saudi oil company Aramco in Riyadh have been targeted by attacks.
In Sana'a, the offensive has materialized in a series of successive impacts that, for now, have not left victims, according to the first assessment released by the unofficial Houthi agency Saba. The most concerning attack has exploded near the Al Sabin Maternal-Child Hospital, according to a statement from the Houthi-controlled Ministry of Health, which has indicated that the healthcare center has suffered "severe damage."
"Attacking hospitals and healthcare facilities constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and deprives Yemenis of their fundamental right to safe medical care," denounced the Houthi Ministry of Health, which has emphasized the seriousness of the attack for occurring during active medical assistance.
In the same vein, the spokesperson for the Houthi Ministry of Health, Anis al Asbahi, has stressed that the bombing of the maternal-child hospital took place "during peak hours, when the hospital was crowded with patients."
Local sources cited by the Yemeni portal South24 have indicated that some of the projectiles have impacted the Presidential Palace of Sana'a, the epicenter of Houthi power in the capital since the rebel movement took control of it more than a decade ago, at the start of the civil war and the spiral of violence that continues to devastate the country.
From Aden, the Yemeni government recognized by the international community has subsequently assured the "execution of an attack against legitimate vital military targets in the capital" with the support of its Saudi ally, without providing additional information about the operation for now.
The military spokesperson for the Houthis, Yahya Sari, has detailed in an official statement that Saudi Arabia has carried out 60 air and missile attacks in the last 24 hours. According to his account, F-15 and Typhoon fighters have bombed the provinces of Sana'a, Saada, Taiz, Hajja, and Marib.
Retaliation against Aramco and casualty balance
As a response, Sari has reported a ballistic missile and drone attack against the Saudi oil company Aramco in Riyadh. "The operation has achieved its objective, thanks to Allah. The attacks have been precise and direct and have caused fires in the attacked locations," he pointed out.
The Houthi spokesman has defended the "deterrent" nature of this military "escalation." "The price for disregarding the blood of our pious people will be high and exorbitant," he warned in his message.
The Houthi-controlled Ministry of Health has published a balance of 72 civilians killed and 125 injured in Saudi attacks since the beginning of the escalation, on September 3, until October 3. According to their data, health infrastructures have been "systematically" targeted by the bombings: since 2015, 55% of the Yemeni healthcare system has been forced to close and the attacks have impacted the supply of medicines.
For its part, the internationally recognized Yemeni government has reported 257 operations against Houthi military positions, according to the Al Jazeera network. Additionally, it has announced the capture of the fortress of Sama, in the southeast of Taiz, after "fierce fighting" with the rebel forces.
In Saudi territory, the kingdom's Civil Defense service has reported via social media an attack against a mosque in Asir and another against a school in Najran, the latter without causing casualties.
In parallel, forces loyal to the Aden government have communicated in recent hours that they have managed to repel a Houthi assault in the town of Jabal Han, near the city of Taiz, which remains besieged.
The Houthis launched an offensive on September 3 in areas of the provinces of Taiz and Hodeida and, since then, have achieved significant territorial advances, including the capture of the city of Mocha and areas near the Bab el Mandeb strait, which represents a severe setback for the authorities recognized by the international community.