At least 140 people were killed and more than 500 injured in airstrikes that targeted a funeral procession in Yemeni capital Sana'a on Saturday, United Nations officials said. While Saudi Arabia had initially denied the Houthi-dominated government's claims that the coalition it led was behind the attack, the alliance later said it would investigate the strikes along with experts from the United States, BBC reported. Calling the bombing "regrettable and painful", the coalition said its troops "have clear instructions to not target populated areas and to avoid civilians".
The funeral had been organised to mark the death of Houthi-appointed Interior Minister Galal al-Rawishan's father. Local reporters said the scene at the funeral site was devastating, with "lakes of blood" and bodies piled up. Jalal al-Roweishan had died of natural causes on Friday, Reuters reported.
UN humanitarian co-ordinator for Yemen Jamie McGoldrick called for an investigation into the "horrific attack" that left aid workers "shocked and outraged”, BBC reported. The US, a key ally of Saudi Arabia, took a stern view of the incident, saying it might cut off military support to the country. Spokesperson for the US National Security Council, Ned Price, said, "US security cooperation with Saudi Arabia is not a blank cheque." Washington said it was reviewing the "already significantly reduced support to the Saudi-led coalition".
More than 10,000 people have died and three million have been displaced in Yemen since the Saudi-led coalition got involved in Yemen's civil war. The coalition supports former president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was ousted by the Iran-backed Houthis in March 2015. Iran said the airstrikes were "a horrific and inhuman crime" and called for renewed peace talks with its West Asian rival.
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