Entisaf Organization Condemns the Escalation of Saudi-Led Aggression Against Civilians in Yemen, Stating that Targeting Women and Children Constitutes War Crimes Requiring Accountability

On Oct 19, 2026

Sanaa – October 19, 2026

The Entisaf Organization for Women and Child Rights condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the continued military escalation by the Saudi-led coalition, which targets civilians and civilian infrastructure across several Yemeni governorates. This aggression has resulted in innocent casualties, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and international norms that mandate the protection of civilians and criminalize attacks on their lives, safety, and property.

The organization emphasizes that the statistics reveal the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe resulting from this escalation. Between September 3 and October 18, 2026, the total number of casualties reached over 536—comprising 141 killed and 395 wounded—the majority of whom are women and children. Furthermore, more than 117 casualties were recorded between October 16 and 18 in the governorates of Taiz, Saada, Al-Jawf, and Dhamar. This serves as a dangerous indicator of the expanding scope of these attacks and the severe humanitarian consequences they inflict upon the civilian population. The organization notes with grave concern recent attacks affecting civilians, including an airstrike on a road in the Dhras area of Al-Sayyani District, Ibb Governorate, which resulted in the deaths of two civilians and injuries to a third. In Taiz Governorate, shelling of civilian objects in the Al-Jund area of Al-Ta’iziyah District led to the death of a young girl and injuries to two other children; an airstrike in the same area also left a young girl and a teenage girl injured. Furthermore, ongoing artillery shelling of populated villages in the Razih and Baqim districts of Saada Governorate continues to endanger civilian lives and exacerbate their humanitarian suffering.

The organization asserts that the repeated targeting of residential areas, roads, and civilian objects—resulting in the death and injury of civilians, particularly women and children—constitutes a serious violation of the principles of distinction, proportionality, and the precautions required under international humanitarian law, as set forth in the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the 1977 Additional Protocol I. Such acts may amount to war crimes, necessitating thorough investigation and accountability. Moreover, the use of internationally prohibited weapons demands that appropriate legal measures be taken to hold those responsible to account and ensure they do not escape impunity. Entisaf Organization calls upon the international community, the United Nations, and various human rights and humanitarian organizations to take urgent action to halt attacks against civilians, provide effective protection for women and children, and initiate independent, transparent investigations into the crimes and violations committed against the Yemeni people over the past twelve years. It further demands that those responsible be held accountable, and that victims receive justice and reparations for the harm they have suffered. The organization also urges the implementation of practical measures to end the aggression and the blockade imposed on Yemen, to cease ongoing violations, and to dismantle the culture of impunity—a policy that undermines international justice and erodes confidence in the human rights protection system.

Entisaf Organization emphasizes that the lives of Yemeni civilians—foremost among them women and children—are not merely fleeting statistics; they are innocent human beings entitled to life, security, protection, and a life of dignity. The continued targeting of these individuals, amidst international silence, remains a stain upon the international community. It compels international institutions to fulfill their legal, humanitarian, and moral responsibilities by taking serious action to end the suffering of the victims, ensure that such crimes are never repeated, and finally deliver long-overdue justice.

Issued by: Entisaf Organization for Women and Child Rights

October 19, 2026