Yemeni journalists held a protest amid the ruins of the 26th September newspaper building, days after the office was destroyed in airstrikes on neighborhoods in Sanaa and Al-Jawf in northeastern Yemen, leaving over 46 people dead, including 26 media staff, and 165 others injured.
The unrest follows Israeli strikes in Doha targeting Hamas leaders, which survivors reported killed the son of Khalil Al-Hayya, his chief of staff, and several internal security members. Observers warn that Israel's ongoing indiscriminate attacks could heighten the risk of a wider regional conflict.
Amid the rubble, the scars of the airstrikes on the 26th September and Al-Yemen newspaper buildings in central Sanaa remain visible. Wednesday's Israeli strikes caused widespread destruction and claimed the lives of 26 journalists, making it one of the deadliest attacks on media institutions in Yemen in years.
"At the moment of the strike, the explosion was so powerful that I felt detached from myself. I saw death around me and could find no way to escape the force of the blasts and the clouds of smoke and dust, because the missiles were extremely intense," said Issam Al-Moushki, a surviving journalist.
On the ruins of the same building, dozens of Yemeni journalists staged a protest. They called for those responsible for the attack to be held accountable, saying that targeting journalists undermines press freedom and directly threatens the public's right to know. Participants emphasized that protecting journalists in conflict zones is an international obligation that cannot be ignored.
"We call on all international organizations and relevant authorities to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice. Those responsible cannot be allowed to escape punishment. This is a crime against journalists, and we demand that the offenders be held accountable," said Ahmed Al-Kubsi, Executive Committee Member of Yemeni Media Union.
The Yemeni Journalists' Syndicate, together with the Yemeni Media Union, strongly condemned the airstrikes. They called the attacks a grave violation of international laws designed to protect journalists during armed conflicts. Both organizations demanded a transparent international investigation to hold those responsible accountable, warning that continued targeting of media institutions endangers press freedom and the public's right to information in the region.
Yemen's media workers rally at site of deadly Israeli airstrike
