Israeli Strikes in Yemen Test International Humanitarian Law

Sana’a, Yemen — At least six civilians were killed and more than 80 wounded when Israeli airstrikes struck multiple sites across the Yemeni capital on Sunday, August 24, according to local health authorities and human rights monitors.

The strikes hit the Heziz power station south of Sana’a, a fuel station on 60th Street, and a gas company facility in the Algeria neighborhood, triggering massive explosions and fires that engulfed surrounding areas. Residents reported widespread panic as flames lit the night sky and emergency crews rushed to pull survivors from the rubble.

The Ministry of Health, controlled by the Houthi militia, confirmed a toll of six people killed and 86 others injured, including seven children and three women. At least 21 of the wounded remain in critical condition, bringing the total number of casualties to 92.

Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC), which has been documenting attacks on civilians, said it verified the names of three victims killed in the strikes: Khaldoun Abdullah Muhammad Aqlan al-Akhali, Haitham Hashim Muhammad Ismail Ghamdan, and Walid Jaber al-Asr.

In a statement, WJWC condemned the airstrikes “in the strongest terms”, describing them as a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and the rules protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure. The organization stressed that repeated strikes on non-military sites amount to war crimes under Additional Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions and Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

“These deliberate attacks on civilian areas and vital infrastructure reflect a blatant disregard for international law,” the group said, urging accountability for those responsible.

WJWC called on the United Nations and the wider international community to urgently intervene to halt further attacks, protect the population, and ensure respect for humanitarian law. The group also demanded an independent international investigation into the strikes, along with previous attacks on civilian sites in Yemen, to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice.

“The protection of civilians is not only a legal obligation but a moral responsibility of the international community,” the organization said.

The strikes mark one of the deadliest escalations in Yemen since Israel expanded its military campaign beyond Gaza earlier this year, drawing the country deeper into the region’s widening conflict. Yemen, already devastated by a decade-long civil war, faces heightened risks as regional powers extend their hostilities onto its territory.