December 21: A Black Record of Crimes by the U.S.–Saudi–Emirati Aggression Against Yemen
December 21 has become, year after year, a damning testament to the brutality of the U.S.–Saudi–Emirati aggression against the Yemeni people—a day on which a policy of systematic killing and the targeting of civilians and infrastructure was entrenched through airstrikes, missile attacks, and artillery shelling that hit residential neighborhoods, homes, mosques, health facilities, and communications networks, in blatant violation of all international laws and norms.
December 21, 2015: Massacres in Residential Areas and the Targeting of Women and Public Services
On this day in 2015, coalition warplanes committed a horrific massacre in the Al-Shuhada neighborhood of Al-Hali District in Al-Hudaydah Governorate, killing six civilians—including children—wounding dozens, and destroying four homes, in addition to damaging several others.
Airstrikes also targeted a mosque and a fuel station in Bajil District, Jabal Al-Milh in Al-Luhayyah District, and the coastal road, as part of a systematic campaign against civilian and service facilities.
In Sa‘ada Governorate, five women were killed when an airstrike hit a citizen’s home in Kataf District, alongside intense raids on the border district of Shada, four strikes on the communications network at Jabal ‘Anam in Sahar District, and another on the Al-Hammati area in Majz District. At the same time, the Saudi army shelled the districts of Al-Dhahir, Shada, and Baqim with more than 40 rockets.
Coalition aircraft also struck the Al-Nahdayn area in Al-Sab‘een District of the Capital Secretariat, destroyed communications towers and networks in Bani Saham (Khawlan Al-Tiyal), the Barid Manakhah area, and a warehouse belonging to Al-Sawari factories in Bani Matar. Additional raids hit Hamdan and eight strikes targeted Al-‘Arqub in Khawlan District, causing severe damage to agricultural land and grazing areas.
The attacks extended to Taiz Governorate, targeting the Al-Makha junction and a civilian home, while further airstrikes hit Haradh city, Jabal Abu Al-Nar, and Midi District in Hajjah Governorate.
December 21, 2016: Cluster Bombs and the Targeting of Women’s Gatherings
In 2016, four civilians—including a woman—were killed and two children wounded after two airstrikes hit a home in the Al-‘Aslan area of Baqim District, Sa‘ada. Two young girls were also killed when a cluster munition remnant exploded in the Al-Azhur area of Razih District.
Warplanes carried out seven strikes on Al-‘Aqiq and other areas in Kataf District, four of which involved cluster munitions that burned several civilian vehicles. A strike on a home in Al-Sha‘af, Saqin District, destroyed it completely, while 12 raids on Baqim District caused extensive damage to homes and property.
In another crime, Saudi missile fire targeted a gathering of women at a water well in the Tal’an area of Haydan District.
In Taiz, the child Anwar Abdulmola was wounded by sniper fire from coalition mercenaries in Al-Sallou District, while mortars hit a civilian home near Al-Qasr roundabout.
Coalition airstrikes also hit Bani Hashish and Nihm in Sana‘a Governorate, the coastal defense area in Al-Jabanah, Al-Hudaydah International Airport, the Kahboub area in Lahj, the Midi desert in Hajjah, and the Al-Mubarak site in Jizan.
December 21, 2017: Targeting Communications, Ports, and Border Areas
In 2017, the Telecommunications Corporation was directly targeted as coalition warplanes struck construction and installation buildings at Jabal ‘Ajama overlooking Al-Mahwit city, destroying large sections and damaging homes in Al-Qarn village.
Airstrikes also hit Al-Haymah Port in Al-Tuhayta District (Al-Hudaydah), as well as Nihm and Sarwah, and the districts of Al-Dhahir and Razih in Sa‘ada. Border district Ghamr was shelled with missiles and artillery.
Further raids struck Majazah in ‘Asir and Wadi Jarah in Jizan, while Apache helicopters fired 16 rockets at Qiwa village and Wadi Jarah.
December 21, 2018: Targeting Ambulances and Escalation by Mercenaries in Al-Hudaydah
In 2018, coalition aircraft committed a heinous crime by striking two ambulances belonging to Al-Abrq Health Center in Al-Jawf Governorate, killing four paramedics and a patient.
In Al-Hudaydah, coalition mercenaries intensified artillery and machine-gun shelling of villages and areas in Al-Durayhimi, Al-Tuhayta, and Kilometer 16, targeted farms in Al-Fazah, and established new military fortifications in Al-Jabaliyah—clear violations of humanitarian agreements.
Warplanes also launched five strikes on the Al-Sayfi area in Sahar District (Sa‘ada), while populated villages in Razih were subjected to Saudi missile and artillery shelling.
December 21, 2019: Continuous Shelling of Residential Areas
In 2019, coalition aircraft carried out two strikes on Majz District in Sa‘ada, alongside Saudi missile and artille