Saudi Air Force Strikes Prison Building in Yemen, Over 60 Casualties Reported

The Saudi Arabian Air Force carried out strikes on military and civilian targets in Yemeni cities controlled by the Houthi rebels of the Shiite "Ansar Allah" movement on January 21. According to reports from Al Mayadeen television, which broadcasts from Beirut, more than 60 people have been killed in the missile strike on the main prison in the administrative center of Saada province, and an additional 150 have been injured, as reported by Armenpress.

According to the television channel, a rescue operation is currently underway. The death toll is expected to rise as people may be trapped under the rubble of the collapsed building. On January 20, the coalition command under Saudi Arabia's leadership reported the elimination of over 60 Houthi supporters during airstrikes. Most of them were killed in Marib province, where fierce battles are ongoing between the rebels and coalition ground forces.

The conflict in Yemen has been ongoing since August 2014. It intensified in March 2015 following the intervention of a Saudi-led coalition to support armed forces loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. The war in Yemen has led to one of the world's largest humanitarian crises. According to UN data, over 24 million Yemenis—approximately 80 percent of the population—require humanitarian assistance, and the number of internally displaced persons exceeds 4 million, TASS reported.