Women and Children Caught in Saudi Airstrikes: Entesaf Organization Condemns Targeting of Civilian Facilities in Yemen and Resulting Casualties

The Entesaf Organization for Women and Child Rights condemns, in the strongest terms, the Saudi military escalation that targeted civilian and industrial facilities as well as telecommunications networks in the capital, Sana’a, and the governorates of Sana’a and Sa’ada on Friday, October 9, 2026. The attacks resulted in injuries to a number of civilians, including women and children.

Preliminary information indicates that two airstrikes targeted the Al-Jamnah Roundabout in the Bani Al-Harith district and a sponge factory in the Shamlan area, west of the capital, Sana’a. The strike on the Al-Jamnah Roundabout—where the Sama Al-Nahda factory for construction and electrical materials is located—left a man and a woman critically injured, while the direct shelling of the sponge factory injured three women and a child. Saudi-led coalition aircraft also launched three raids on Mount Attan in the capital, Sana’a, and targeted telecommunications networks in the Bilad Al-Rus and Arhab districts of Sana’a Governorate. In Sa’ada Governorate, airstrikes targeted Mount Anam and the districts of Kitaf, Al-Buqa’a, and Sahar, in addition to targeting telecommunications networks in those areas.

The organization emphasizes that the targeting of industrial and commercial facilities and civilian telecommunications networks raises serious concerns regarding the safety of civilians and the extent of human and material damage resulting from this escalation—particularly given the injuries sustained by women and children during the direct shelling of the sponge factory. Furthermore, these attacks threaten citizens’ livelihoods, damage infrastructure and essential services, and exacerbate the humanitarian and living conditions of Yemeni families.

The organization emphasizes that civilian objects are protected under the rules of international humanitarian law and that targeting them without regard for relevant legal standards may constitute a violation of that law. It also stresses the necessity of adhering to the principles of distinction and proportionality, taking all feasible precautions to avoid harm to civilians and civilian objects, and ensuring that the circumstances of these attacks are investigated and legal responsibilities determined.

Entisaf Organization warns of the humanitarian and economic repercussions of continued attacks on production facilities and civilian infrastructure, given their direct impact on employment opportunities, household income sources, and the availability of essential services. It also highlights the compounded burdens borne by women and children amidst the ongoing aggression, blockade, and deteriorating living conditions, as well as the associated threats to their right to life, security, and stability.

The organization calls upon the international community, the United Nations, and human rights and humanitarian organizations to take urgent action to halt the Saudi-led aggression and blockade and the targeting of civilian facilities. It urges them to work towards protecting civilians in Yemen, launching independent and transparent investigations into attacks and violations committed over the past 12 years, and establishing legal accountability for those responsible for crimes and violations confirmed by such investigations, thereby ensuring an end to impunity. Entisaf Organization emphasizes that the continued targeting of civilian facilities and infrastructure—resulting in casualties, including women and children—demands a serious international stance that goes beyond mere statements of condemnation and concern. It calls for practical, immediate measures to ensure the protection of civilians and the safeguarding of their rights, as well as to guarantee respect for the rules of international humanitarian law and hold those responsible for violations accountable.

Issued by Entesaf Organization for Women and Child Rights
October 9, 2026