5 Killed, 15 Injured in Houthi Strike on Health Center in Southern Yemen

Yemen Monitor / Newsroom: Five people were killed and 15 others injured on Monday when a Houthi strike targeted the Al-Suqya Health Center in the southern governorate of Lahj, according to the Yemeni Ministry of Public Health. The Health Ministry declared that targeting medical facilities constitutes a grave crime, a blatant violation of the principle of neutralizing health infrastructure during armed conflict, and a direct assault on civilians’ right to access healthcare. The ministry stressed that the attack poses a severe threat to patients, the wounded, and healthcare practitioners performing their humanitarian duties to save lives without discrimination. The ministry called on the international community, the United Nations, and international humanitarian organizations to explicitly condemn the attack, fulfill their legal and moral responsibilities, and act swiftly to protect health facilities and personnel. It also urged an immediate investigation to hold those responsible accountable and prevent recurring attacks on medical infrastructure. Reiterating the need to safeguard medical institutions and ensure the uninterrupted provision of healthcare services, the ministry emphasized that protecting health facilities is not merely a sectoral responsibility, but a legal and humanitarian obligation binding on all warring parties. For his part, Yemeni Prime Minister Shayea Al-Zindani described the Houthi ballistic missile attack on the Al-Suqya Health Center as a full-fledged terror attack, stating that it reflects a systemic pattern of targeting medical facilities and civilian infrastructure. Al-Zindani’s comments came during a telephone call Monday with Lahj Governor Murad Al-Halimi to discuss the circumstances of the attack and assess human and material damages. The Prime Minister stressed that striking a facility dedicated to life-saving humanitarian work inflicts harm far beyond the immediate victims, threatening the entire community’s access to vital medical care. The Prime Minister warned that continued unpunished attacks on civilian and health infrastructure—amid international inaction—emboldens the Houthis to persist in violations and degrades international humanitarian law safeguards protecting civilians. Al-Zindani explicitly linked the strike in Lahj to ongoing Houthi escalation in Taiz Governorate, including attacks on health centers, the enforcement of sieges, and the continued shelling of residential neighborhoods. He noted that recurring attacks across multiple governorates demonstrate the expanding threat facing Yemeni civilians and their basic infrastructure. He stressed that targeting health facilities in Lahj, Taiz, and other governorates demands a firm national and international posture, along with concrete steps to hold perpetrators accountable rather than treating such strikes as isolated incidents. Outlining government measures, Al-Zindani directed local, health, and security authorities in Lahj Governorate to intensify efforts to provide immediate medical care to the injured and assist families of the victims. He also instructed officials to document the attack and gather evidence to support future prosecution and legal accountability. The post 5 Killed, 15 Injured in Houthi Strike on Health Center in Southern Yemen appeared first on Yemen Monitor.