On Monday, a Saudi‑backed Yemeni armored vehicle rolled over at least ten wounded Houthi fighters who had raised their hands near the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait, a clip that went viral on social media.
The footage appears to have been taken after Yemeni forces recaptured the port city of Mocha and the fishing town of Dhubab, marking a significant swing in the coastal front of the ongoing civil war.
Social media users compared the scene to the video game Grand Theft Auto, with commentators joking that Yemen had early access to the latest release; the comparison drew quick condemnation from the Guardian, which highlighted the potential breach of the 1949 Geneva Conventions that Yemen ratified.
In a statement, the Saudi‑led coalition said the operation was part of a strategic offensive targeting Houthi positions near Sanaa. Meanwhile, the United Nations Human Rights Office said it would review the incident for possible war‑crime violations.
Yemen’s Ministry of Defense has called for a formal investigation, and the UN Human Rights Office has said it will convene a panel by the end of the week to assess evidence.