Civilian Woman Killed in Houthi Mortar Attack in Southern Taiz

A 50-year-old woman was killed on Friday evening when a mortar shell fired by Houthi militia struck her residence in the Sabir Al-Mawadim district, located in the southern part of Taiz Governorate.

Ishraq Al-Maqtari, a member of the National Commission to Investigate Alleged Violations of Human Rights, identified the victim as Safia Hazzah Saif Al-Azzani. The incident occurred at approximately 10:00 p.m. on Friday, October 16, 2026, when the projectile impacted her home in the Al-Awrat area of the Al-Aridhah sub-district.

Al-Maqtari stated via social media that the attack is part of a sustained campaign of indiscriminate shelling by Houthi forces against civilian populations in both Sabir Al-Mawadim and the Al-Masrakh district. These ongoing hostilities continue to pose a severe threat to the safety and security of local residents, frequently targeting residential infrastructure.

Local reports indicate that the Houthi militia has intensified its use of artillery and mortar fire against villages in the region. Observers suggest that these attacks are being utilized as a retaliatory tactic following the militia's failure to achieve significant territorial gains on the ground.