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Airstrikes hit populated neighborhood

Over 1.5 million Yemeni children malnourished, says UNICEF

CNN  — 

At least 30 civilians were killed when Saudi-led airstrikes attacked a neighborhood in Yemen’s central port city of Hodeida on Wednesday, medical sources in the region told CNN.

The Yemeni Defense Ministry gave a higher death toll; it said 34 were killed and at least 55 injured. Eighteen of them are in critical condition, according to the medics.

The Saudi bombardment reportedly targeted a heavily populated civilian neighborhood in the city’s Alhook district, where hundreds of homes are located.

Some 14 homes were destroyed and more than 90 were damaged.

Ali Allanah’s wife and child were among those injured in the attack.

“Entire families living at home in peace were killed by the airstrikes,” said Allanah, whose home was damaged. “Rescue crews were not able to reach many of the victims due to the nonstop airstrikes.”

“Ambulances had to return to the site numerous times because of limited resources and some patients died in the hospital because doctors were treating other patients.”

When asked about reports of civilian casualties in Hodeida, Saudi-led coalition spokesman Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asseri told CNN that “as with any allegations we receive, the information will be reviewed and once it is found [to be] supporting the allegation based on credible evidence, we will then move to a next step of investigation.”

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