U.S. forces have launched a devastating airstrike on the Al-Rasool Al-Azam Oncology Hospital in Saada, Yemen, marking the second attack on the facility within a week. The Saba news agency reports that the strike has resulted in the hospital's complete destruction. The Anti-Cancer Fund (ACF), a government entity, has condemned the assault as a "grave and brutal" action that constitutes a war crime. They emphasize that these attacks are not isolated incidents but rather systematic efforts to eliminate hope and life amidst a severe blockade.
The ACF previously highlighted that the hospital, which cost approximately 805 million Saudi riyals ($3.3 million), was nearing completion and intended to serve as a critical treatment center for hundreds of cancer patients across Saada and surrounding regions. The U.S. first targeted the facility on March 17, leading to significant civilian casualties, with reports indicating over 151 Yemenis killed or injured in recent airstrikes.
These strikes are part of a broader escalation linked to the Yemeni Armed Forces' decision to impose a naval blockade on Israeli shipping in the Red Sea. This blockade was enacted in retaliation for Israel's blockade of humanitarian aid into Gaza and its renewed indiscriminate bombing of civilians in Gaza since last week.