Five Civilians, Including Children, Injured in Houthi-Planted Landmine Explosion in Saada

A landmine explosion in Saada province, northern Yemen, injured five civilians, including three children, a woman, and a man, in the latest incident tied to remnants of the Iran-backed Houthi militia’s warfare. The blast occurred recently in the Masehan area of Haydan district, a region heavily contaminated with explosive devices left during six wars fought between 2004 and 2009.

Local sources confirmed the landmine, planted by the Houthi militia during past conflicts, detonated as the victims traversed the mountainous terrain. All five sustained severe injuries and were transferred to nearby medical facilities.

Saada, the Houthi group’s historic stronghold, remains riddled with landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) deliberately deployed by the militia during its protracted rebellion against Yemeni government forces. The explosives, often hidden in remote areas, continue to endanger civilians years after the conflicts ended.

Between 2004 and 2009, the Houthi militia repeatedly used landmines to obstruct advances by Yemeni army troops attempting to suppress their Iran-backed insurgency. Despite sporadic clearance efforts, thousands of unexploded ordnances persist, claiming lives and limbs in rural communities.