Human Rights Watch says recent strikes are putting civilians at risk in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, highlighting a July 13 attack on Sanaa International Airport as a major concern. According to the group, Yemeni government forces operating in coalition with Saudi Arabia carried out at least five airstrikes at the airport.
The report says three of those strikes hit the runway, raising questions about the danger to civilian infrastructure and people in or around the site. Images from Sanaa showed smoke rising after the attack, underscoring the scale of the operation at one of the country’s most important transport hubs.
The incident adds to broader scrutiny of how the Yemen conflict is affecting civilian areas. Airports and other essential facilities can have military significance during war, but rights groups often warn that attacks on such locations can also disrupt travel, aid access and other basic needs.
By pointing to risks in both Yemen and Saudi Arabia, Human Rights Watch is framing the issue as part of a wider pattern of harm to civilians linked to the conflict. The latest findings are likely to increase pressure for closer examination of airstrikes and their impact on noncombatants.
