25 December: A Date When Wounds Are Reopened and the Brutality of the U.S.–Saudi–Emirati Aggression Is Laid Bare
For Yemenis, 25 December does not pass as an ordinary date. It is a day on which the wounds of memory reopen and the voices of victims—long unheard by the world—rise once more; a day where the smell of burned ports mingles with devastated farms and severed roads, offering living testimony to the reality of the U.S.–Saudi–Emirati aggression that, since 2015, has made civilians a target and turned every aspect of life into a theater of fire.
Revisiting the details of this day is not merely a historical recounting; it is an affirmation of truth and a testimony added to Yemen’s record in confronting an aggression that sought to strip it of everything—only to be met with steadfastness, resilience, and faith.
2015 – Ports Set Ablaze, Roads Under Fire
On 25 December 2015, attacking aircraft struck a fuel tanker in Al-Tuhayta (Hodeidah), causing casualties and extensive damage. This was followed by intense bombardment of Al-Haymah Port, as well as farms and schools in Saada, including Ammar ibn Yasir School in Al-Talh, and the destruction of civilian homes and vehicles in Marib. Public roads were also targeted, cutting off links between districts.
The capital Sana’a was not spared, with heavy airstrikes on Television Hill and Al-Azraqayn landfill, leaving widespread damage in surrounding residential neighborhoods.
2016 – Farms Targeted, Homes Left Roofless
In 2016, continuous airstrikes hit villages and agricultural lands in the districts of Baqim, Majz, Maran, and Saqayn in Saada. Areas in Nihm, Sana’a, Midi, Hajjah, and Marib were also attacked with artillery and air raids, resulting in casualties and extensive damage to homes and power networks.
2017 – Cities, Markets, and Government Facilities Bombed
This year marked one of the harshest 25 Decembers. Seven civilians were killed in an airstrike on the Asr area in the capital, while four others were killed in raids targeting what remained of the Dhamar Governorate building, later used temporarily as a customs office.
In Hodeidah, eight civilians were killed in airstrikes on a farm east of Zabid, alongside more than 20 raids on Al-Khokha district. In Al-Jawf, Saada, and Taiz, civilians were targeted inside their homes and on public roads.
2018 – Cities Under Fire, Homes Facing Mercenary Shelling
In 2018, mercenary shelling emerged as a direct killing tool against civilian homes, particularly in Hodeidah, where residential areas and 22 May Hospital were hit. Meanwhile, hostile aircraft continued to target Saada with repeated raids across its districts.
2019 – Missiles on Villages, Demolitions in Hodeidah
A child was injured in Saada due to ongoing Saudi shelling of the border district of Razih. In Hodeidah, artillery and missile attacks targeted farms and civilian homes, while mercenary bulldozers established military fortifications within residential areas.
2020 – Frontline Airstrikes, Cities Under Constant Shelling
In 2020, air raids struck Kataf in Saada and Al-Jubah and Al-Jawlah in Marib. Hodeidah endured heavy shelling from surveillance aircraft and artillery, causing extensive property damage and the displacement of families.
2021 – The Capital Under Aerial Assault
The year 2021 was among the most severe. Aircraft carried out three airstrikes on the Al-Sabeen residential neighborhood in the capital, damaging Al-Sabeen Hospital and causing widespread panic among women and children. Marib was also hit with 20 airstrikes on Al-Balaq, in addition to raids on Al-Jubah, Sirwah, Al-Jawf, and Saada.
2022 – Shelling Continues Despite Political Calm
Border areas in Saada were subjected to Saudi shelling targeting civilians, while two children were injured by the explosion of remnants of war in Hodeidah. Mercenary military fortifications within populated areas also continued.
2024 – The Aftermath Still Kills
Even after a reduction in the intensity of operations, two civilians were killed by Saudi border guards’ fire in Saada, a stark reminder that the effects of the aggression have not ended and continue to claim Yemeni lives through missiles and unexploded ordnance.
Resilience Stronger Than Bombardment
The date of 25 December is not merely remembered—it stands as a living document proving that the U.S.–Saudi–Emirati aggression targeted Yemeni lives and every detail of their existence, from the sea to the mountains, from fertile plains to the heart of the capital. Today—after all these years—Yemen remains steadfast in its stance and sovereign decision, and every chapter of this memory bears one title: resilience is stronger than bombardment.