Sanaa health ministry: 72 killed and 125 wounded in Saudi strikes since the start of the escalation

At least 72 people have been killed and 125 others wounded in Saudi strikes since the start of the escalation, the health ministry in Sanaa, Yemen’s Houthi-controlled capital, announced today, according to Al Jazeera.

The new figures bring the overall number of victims to more than 200 killed, including earlier updates during the day, while the Saudi defence ministry said it had targeted military facilities, Al Jazeera reports.

According to the ministry in Sanaa, the overwhelming majority of the victims are civilians, including women and children.

The escalation in Yemen comes in parallel with the wider U.S.–Iran war: Saudi-backed government forces and the Iran-backed Houthis are clashing fiercely in Taiz and on the Red Sea coast, while Riyadh is reportedly preparing a major offensive to retake control of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.