A displaced Yemeni woman in the Hodeidah province. Photo: STR/AFP/Getty Images
Civilian deaths in the ongoing war in Yemen have increased 164% since June, the International Rescue Committee reported on Tuesday.
The big picture: Citing the monitoring group Armed Location and Event Data (ACLED), the IRC attributed the increase in deaths to Saudi-led coalition efforts to retake Hodeidah, a port city crucial to the functioning of the already-embattled country. Earlier this month, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Congress that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were working to "reduce the risk of harm to civilians."
- Pentagon spokeswoman Cmdr. Rebecca Rebarich told Axios: "While we do not independently verify claims of civilian casualties in which we are not directly involved; we call upon all parties to take all feasible precautions to avoid harm to civilians."