30 Killed in Taiz Market Attack as Yemeni Government and Houthis Exchange Blame

30 Killed in Al-Waziyah Market Strike in Taiz; Houthis and Saudi-Backed Government Blame Each OtherAt least 30 people were killed and eight others injured following a devastating explosion at a crowded market in Al-Waziyah, Taiz province, in southwestern Yemen. The incident has triggered mutual accusations between the Iran-backed Houthi movement and the internationally recognized, Saudi-backed Presidential Council government, with both sides trading responsibility for the carnage. The attack occurred on Friday, November 6, 2026. According to the Houthi-controlled health ministry and military spokesperson Yahya Sarie, Saudi fighter jets launched multiple airstrikes on the market from the Khamis Mushait airbase. Rescue teams are continuing to sift through rubble, and the death toll is feared to rise. Conversely, the Saudi-backed Yemeni Presidential Council and Taiz provincial authorities categorically rejected the airstrike claim, accusing the Houthis of firing an indiscriminate ballistic missile into the civilian marketplace and labeling the attack a "war crime." Taiz remains the central frontline of intense renewed military conflict between the two factions, which flared up in July 2026. Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition reported intercepting Houthi drones and missiles near Islam's holy cities of Makkah and Madinah over recent days, though Houthi leadership has regularly denied targeting sacred sites.