Saudi-led coalition in Yemen denies killing civilians in Saada air strike

The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen on Wednesday denied that an air strike it carried out earlier this week in Saada province had killed civilians, as alleged by Houthi authorities.

The coalition that has been battling the Iran-aligned movement for five years said in a statement that it had targeted armed members of the group. The Houthi health minister had said 13 civilians, including four children, were killed in Monday’s air strike.

The United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Yemen, Lise Grande, said in a statement on Tuesday that initial field reports indicated that at least 12 civilians, including four children, were killed in strikes on a vehicle in Saada.

“We share our deepest condolences with the bereaved families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives in this terrible, unjustified attack,” Grande said.

The coalition statement said the vehicle was carrying armed Houthi combatants near the Saudi-Yemeni border and that the air strike was “legitimate”.