Sanaa, September 8, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
An airstrike hit a prison in Yemen’s Houthi-controlled Al-Jawf province, causing casualties and leaving dozens of people trapped under rubble, Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported.
The strike struck a prison in Al-Hazm, the provincial capital, on Monday local time. The broadcaster, attributing the attack to the Saudi-led coalition, reported that women and children were among the casualties.
The prison director, quoted by Al-Masirah, said 35 inmates and a woman who was visiting her husband remained trapped beneath the debris. Footage broadcast by the channel showed extensive damage to the facility, with rescuers searching through the rubble.
There was no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia, according to the report.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said on X on Monday that Saudi military operations in Yemen “will not go unanswered”. He alleged that the operations included airstrikes, reconnaissance flights and weapons supplies to Yemeni government forces.
The latest escalation comes against the backdrop of Yemen’s prolonged conflict, which began intensifying in late 2014 after the Houthis seized Sanaa and large parts of northern Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition intervened the following year in support of the internationally recognised Yemeni government.
A UN-brokered truce that began in April 2022 formally expired six months later without an extension, although a fragile de facto ceasefire largely held until the recent escalation.
The Houthis announced a maritime ban on Saudi shipping in July and have since claimed attacks targeting Saudi tankers and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia.
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg described recent Houthi attacks across several frontlines as “an extremely alarming development” that risks widening the conflict.
In a statement posted on X on Monday, Grundberg said reports of civilian deaths and injuries, displacement of families and damage to civilian infrastructure were “deeply troubling”. He warned that a return to sustained large-scale fighting would have grave consequences for civilians and further complicate efforts towards a political settlement.
Grundberg urged all parties to cease hostilities, exercise maximum restraint and use existing mechanisms, including the UN’s Military Coordination Committee, to prevent further escalation.
He said he would continue direct engagement with the parties to contain the escalation and preserve room for dialogue, while urging regional and international actors to use their influence to support those efforts.
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