Al-Dhalea (South24 Center)

Five children were killed and eight others were injured on Sunday, June 22, after an explosive device left behind by the Houthis detonated in Al-Ribi village, north of Hajar area in Al-Dhalea governorate.

The local authority in Al-Dhalea said the blast initially killed four children and injured nine others, before one of the injured girls later died of her wounds. Eight children are still receiving medical care at the Mohammed bin Zayed Field Hospital.

Al-Dhalea Governor Major General Ahmed Qaed Al-Qubba instructed health authorities and medical teams in the governorate to raise their level of readiness and provide urgent and full medical care to the victims of the blast.

#BREAKING

Video: Initial footage of the children killed by a Houthi explosive projectile blast in Dhalea #south24 pic.twitter.com/9EYIaTYfWm

— South24 | English (@South24E) June 22, 2026

Al-Qubba condemned the incident, saying that the continued civilian casualties, particularly among children, caused by landmines and unexploded ordnance left behind by the Houthis, constitute an ongoing humanitarian crime and a flagrant violation of international laws and norms.

He said the local authority has been following the developments of the incident since its first moments, and has directed the relevant authorities to mobilize available resources to save the injured and provide them with the necessary medical care.

The governor called on international and humanitarian organizations, as well as mine-clearance bodies, to intensify efforts to remove landmines, unexploded ordnance, and other explosive remnants of war that continue to threaten civilians in areas near the front lines.

He also stressed the urgent need to expand community awareness programs on the dangers of landmines and unexploded ordnance, especially among children.

Fuad Jubari, spokesperson for the Al-Dhalea Axis, said on X that the victims were between six and 14 years old.

He described the incident as another example of the lingering impact of landmines and unexploded ordnance, which continue to pose a direct threat to civilians in areas close to the front lines.

#BREAKING

Four children were killed and eight others were injured in the Hajar area of Dhalea due to the explosion of an explosive object left behind by the Houthi militia (Medical source to South24) #south24 pic.twitter.com/IG2DL7wqXE

— South24 | English (@South24E) June 22, 2026

The incident coincided with renewed Houthi shelling in northern Al-Dhalea. A South24 correspondent reported that four Southern Armed Forces soldiers were injured on Sunday by Houthi mortar fire on the Al-Fakher front, north of the governorate.

The Al-Dhalea fronts have witnessed intermittent clashes between Southern forces and the Houthis. Most recently, the Houthis launched an attack on the Bab Ghalq front in the north of the governorate on June 16 and 17, killing one Southern soldier and injuring five others, before Southern forces repelled the assault and shelled Houthi positions.

Along with Shabwa and Lahj, Al-Dhalea is one of the governorates that continue to see sporadic clashes despite the general state of calm that has prevailed in Yemen since 2022. Areas near the front lines remain heavily affected by landmines and unexploded ordnance, which have killed and injured civilians over the past years.