Saudi-led strikes in Yemen break international law: U.N.

Air strikes by a Saudi-led coalition on Saada city in Yemen, where many civilians are trapped, are in breach of international law, despite calls for civilians to leave the area, the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen said on Saturday. Scores of civilians were reportedly killed and thousands forced to flee their homes after the coalition, which includes Saudi Arabia and nine other Arab countries and is backed by the United States, Britain and France, declared the entire governorate a military target.

Saada is living a day of complete humanitarian catastrophe.

Houthi spokesman Hamed al-Bokheiti

The Saudi-led coalition said on Saturday it had hit Yemen with 130 air strikes over the previous 24 hours, and a senior UN official said some attacks violated international law. The Saudis and nine other Arab countries, backed by the United States, Britain and France, hoped to force the Houthis back to their northern heartland and restore the exiled government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who is in Riyadh. Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said the Saudi-led campaign was the work of an “inexperienced” government that did not understand the region’s politics.