Heba Maraief, Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Regional Office, issued a stark warning regarding the massive escalation in armed hostilities between the Houthi authorities, the Yemeni government, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Citing rising civilian casualties amidst ongoing attacks, she emphasized that every day the conflict escalates, the risks to civilians in both Yemen and Saudi Arabia increase at an accelerating pace.
Maraief stressed that all parties to the conflict must prioritize the protection of civilians and strictly comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law. She noted that during the past week, lethal attacks launched by Houthis on airports in Saudi Arabia caused tangible harm to civilians. Specifically, an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on October 10 resulted in the deaths of 13 people and injured hundreds more. This incident marks the bloodiest attack on Saudi soil in over a decade.
The attack occurred against the backdrop of a return to comprehensive armed hostilities in Yemen, which has had severe consequences for civilians, particularly in the western coastal areas and around Taiz, the country’s third-largest city. Maraief reiterated that civilians are never legitimate targets and must not bear the cost of further escalation. International humanitarian law prohibits the intentional targeting of civilians or civilian infrastructure, including civil airports, acts that may constitute war crimes.
All belligerents are required to immediately cease direct attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, as well as indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks. In Yemen, where civilians already face a severe humanitarian crisis exacerbated by years of intermittent fighting, the renewed conflict threatens to deepen the suffering of the population. It is imperative that all sides take feasible precautions to avoid or minimize harm to civilians and civilian objects, while allowing unhindered access to humanitarian aid for those in need.
The recent escalation follows the collapse of a UN-brokered ceasefire in July 2026, after airstrikes on Sanaa airport were claimed by the internationally recognized government. The renewed violence in Yemen is linked to a broader regional conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, with Houthis backed by Iran and the Yemeni government supported by Saudi Arabia. Between 2015 and 2022, Amnesty International documented serious human rights violations and breaches of international humanitarian law by various parties, including potential war crimes.
Recent data highlights the severity of the situation. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reported in late September that at least 32 civilians, including 15 children, were killed since August, though actual figures are likely higher. Attacks by Houthi forces on civil airports, military facilities, and oil installations in Saudi Arabia, as well as ships at sea, have caused significant damage. According to The National newspaper, attacks on Saudi airports between October 5 and 11 killed at least 20 people and injured over 350. Meanwhile, the Yemen Data Project reports that Saudi airstrikes have killed at least 66 civilians and injured 90 others.
This escalation exacerbates an already dire humanitarian crisis in Yemen. UN figures indicate that at least 18.3 million people face acute food insecurity, while over 2.2 million children under five and 1.3 million pregnant and lactating women suffer from acute malnutrition. Access to food and healthcare has repeatedly worsened due to the conflict, the conduct of warring parties, and reductions in humanitarian assistance.
This report was produced by the HuMedia newsroom.
