According to relatives, an airstrike carried out by Saudi-led forces in Yemen in October killed nine members of a single family, bringing renewed attention to civilian casualties in the country’s intensifying conflict. The attack reportedly took place on October 18 in northern Yemen, when a bomb struck the family’s residential home. Five of those killed were children under the age of 10.
Family members identified the victims as members of the Al-Qahm family. Relatives said the bombing occurred shortly after one family member had left a gathering, while other members remained inside the house. The explosion caused the building to collapse, trapping several people beneath the rubble. According to accounts provided by relatives, at least 28 people were caught in the destruction.
The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety of civilians as fighting between Saudi-led forces and Yemen’s Houthi movement continues. The coalition has been conducting military operations against the Houthis, who control significant parts of northern Yemen and are backed by Iran.
Videos of the damaged property were reportedly examined by weapons specialists, who identified evidence suggesting that a 500-pound bomb supplied by the United States may have been used in the attack. A casualty list published by the Houthi-affiliated Health Ministry also reportedly supported relatives’ accounts of the deaths.
