Saudi airstrikes damage Yemen maternity hospital, drawing calls for war-crimes investigation

The strikes reportedly hit near the hospital around midday on Saturday, when the facility was crowded with women, children, patients and medical workers, prompting Yemeni authorities to condemn the attack as a grave violation of civilian protections.

The damage extended to the hospital building, internal departments and critical medical equipment, including the intensive care unit and infant incubators, according to Yemen’s Health Ministry.

The attack also triggered panic among pregnant women, premature infants, patients and visitors, while hospital staff were forced to evacuate some departments.

Al-Sabeen Hospital is one of Sana’a’s largest specialized medical facilities, providing maternity and pediatric care to thousands of women and children.

Yemen’s Health Ministry condemned the strikes as an attack on the country’s already strained healthcare system, accusing Saudi Arabia of seeking to deprive Yemenis of access to safe medical care.

The ministry called on the international community and human rights organizations to take serious action to halt as continuing aggression against Yemen.

In a separate statement, the National Commission for Human Rights in Sana’a described the attack as “a war crime and a crime against humanity,” calling on the United Nations secretary-general and the Security Council to condemn the incident and take measures to protect Yemeni civilians.

The commission also appealed to the World Health Organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross and UNICEF to urgently support the damaged hospital and help ensure that its services remain operational.

It further urged international humanitarian and human rights organizations to document the incident and pursue accountability for those responsible.

The attack came amid an escalation of fighting between the Yemeni army and Saudi and Saudi-backed forces, with heavy clashes reported in the strategic southwestern province of Taiz.

Earlier Saturday, a senior member of Ansarullah’s political bureau condemned Saudi forces for continuing air and artillery attacks against civilian areas and infrastructure.

The Yemeni official said such attacks will not break the resolve of Yemeni forces, vowing that fighting aimed at removing the “remaining Saudi formations” from Taiz would continue.