Explosion at Gas Station in Yemen's Bayda Province Kills At Least 15, Injures 67, 40 in Critical Condition
January 12, 2025 — An explosion occurred at a gas station in the Zaher district of Bayda province, Yemen, on Saturday, causing a massive fire. The Ministry of Health reported that at least 15 people were killed and 67 others were injured, with 40 of them in critical condition.
The Health Ministry, controlled by the Houthi rebels, stated that rescue operations are ongoing and some individuals remain missing. The cause of the explosion is still unclear. Videos posted on social media showed large flames and thick smoke rising into the sky, with many vehicles burned and destroyed.
Bayda province is controlled by Houthi rebels, who have been fighting against Yemen’s internationally recognized government for over a decade.
The civil war in Yemen began in 2014 when the rebels took control of the capital, Sanaa, and much of the country’s northern region, forcing the government to flee to the south and later to Saudi Arabia. In March 2015, a Saudi-led coalition entered the war, supported by the U.S., in an effort to restore the internationally recognized government. The war has so far claimed more than 150,000 lives, including many civilians, and in recent years, it has largely reached a stalemate, leading to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.
