SANA’A (Dispatches) – Saudi warplanes carried out dozens of airstrikes across multiple Yemeni provinces on Monday, including a repeat strike on a school in Ta’iz, as Yemen vowed retaliation and escalated its own attacks deep into Saudi territory.
Yemen’s military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree said Saudi F-15 and Typhoon aircraft launched 26 airstrikes in 24 hours on the governorates of Ta’iz, Al-Jawf, Ma’rib, Dhamar, and Sa’ada, bringing the total number of Saudi air and missile attacks since the current escalation began to 1,085. 
The strikes targeted civilian infrastructure including communication networks, schools, bridges, and roads, Saree said, causing casualties including women and children.
The Saudi air force struck Al-Rawd School in the Al-Ta’iziyah district of Ta’iz province for the third time, destroying what remained of the educational facility, according to the Saba News Agency in Sana’a. 
Earlier on Monday, Saudi aircraft also conducted a missile and artillery attack on Sa’ada province in northern Yemen, using four missiles.
The Sana’a-based health ministry hit out at the Saudi Air Force for committing an “abominable crime,” saying it was directly and deliberately targeting civilian sites. 
According to the ministry, at least 67 civilians have been killed and 107 wounded since September 3, with most casualties being women and children.
The Yemeni Armed Forces led by Ansarullah have vowed consequences for the attacks. Military spokesman Saree said blood has been “unjustly and aggressively spilled” and that there will be retaliation.
They have also issued a direct warning to other regional actors. Muhammad al-Bukhaiti, a senior Ansarullah spokesman, warned Turkey and Pakistan against any involvement in the war.
“By God, if Turkey or Pakistan intervenes, we will strike them with an iron fist. Just as we are punishing Saudi Arabia today, we will punish them too,” he warned.
Yemen’s retaliation has already reached deep into Saudi territory. Saudi Arabia said six ballistic missiles were launched at the cities of Taif and Yanbuli. Yemeni forces also launched drone attacks at Riyadh.
Smoke columns were reported rising from the Saudi capital, and flight movement was briefly halted near King Khalid International Airport following the attack. Schools in Riyadh were shifted to remote learning for one week starting Monday as a security precaution.
A Sana’a military source told Lebanese outlet Al-Akhbar that Yemen could begin targeting bridges in Saudi Arabia as retaliation for Saudi strikes on Yemeni bridges and civilian infrastructure, calling the Saudi practice “utter bankruptcy”.
The escalation comes as the United States weighs deeper involvement. President Trump over the weekend considered ordering a strike against Yemen before deciding to hold off, according to Axios, citing two U.S. officials. 
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the war between Yemen and Saudi Arabia is “dangerous” and affirmed that Washington “will always stand with Riyadh”.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the UK would provide “defensive air-to-air refueling” support for Saudi Arabia and is “close” to agreeing to broader operational support for Saudi forces in their aggression against Yemen. 
Iran has offered to mediate between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, with President Masoud Pezeshkian stating Tehran is ready to help both sides “sit together” to resolve the war.