Yemen Monitor / Sana’a / Exclusive:
The death toll from the massive explosion that rocked an arms depot in the Sarif area, north of the Yemeni capital Sana’a (under Houthi control), has risen to over 50 dead and wounded, including women and children, according to local sources and eyewitnesses. The incident has been described as “similar to the Beirut port explosion” in terms of its size and destructive impact.
According to sources, the main explosion occurred yesterday evening in an arms depot inside a “hanger” in the Sarif area, part of the Bani Hushaish district northeast of Sana’a. This was followed by two more explosions: one inside the same hanger, and the third in the basement of an adjacent residential building. This caused widespread scattering of missile and shell fragments and a massive fire that consumed nearby buildings.
Field sources reported that the depot contained large quantities of weapons, including machine guns, mortar shells, and grenades.
فيديو آخر لمحاولات إطفاء الحرائق الناتجة عن انفجار مخزن للأسلحة الذي وقع في منطقة "صرف" في بني حشيش شرق #صنعاء على الخط الرئيسي وقريب من سوق شعبي
مصادر يمن مونيتور تتحدث عن أكثر من 40 قتيلاً وجريحاً، ونُقلوا إلى مركز صرف الصحي ومستشفى زايد، تهدمت 5 منازل بشكل كامل وأضرار واسعة… pic.twitter.com/nZpr5DpfjH
— يمن مونيتور (@YeMonitor) May 22, 2025
According to the sources, the first and most destructive explosion led to the collapse of parts of the residential building near the depot, while the basement explosion completely destroyed residential apartments.
Eyewitnesses stated that three families were completely wiped out in the incident. Dozens of injured, including critical cases, were transferred to the Al-Jumhory Hospital and the Police Hospital in the capital. Unconfirmed figures of casualties persist due to the Houthis’ refusal to disclose information about the incident.
The explosion coincided with the departure of a Yemenia Airways flight heading to Amman, causing panic among passengers who thought the airport was being shelled, according to passengers who documented the scenes with their mobile phones.
فيديو آخر لمحاولات إطفاء الحرائق الناتجة عن انفجار مخزن للأسلحة الذي وقع في منطقة "صرف" في بني حشيش شرق #صنعاء على الخط الرئيسي وقريب من سوق شعبي
مصادر يمن مونيتور تتحدث عن أكثر من 40 قتيلاً وجريحاً، ونُقلوا إلى مركز صرف الصحي ومستشفى زايد، تهدمت 5 منازل بشكل كامل وأضرار واسعة… pic.twitter.com/nZpr5DpfjH
— يمن مونيتور (@YeMonitor) May 22, 2025
The Houthi group completely isolated the area, establishing a strict security cordon with thorough inspections of those entering and exiting. They have not issued any official statement clarifying the circumstances of the incident or offering condolences to the victims. This unprecedented silence has sparked resentment among residents who described the disaster as “the human cost of arms smuggling and storage among homes.”
The explosion brought back memories of the 2020 Beirut port explosion, particularly with the similarity of scenes of widespread destruction and civilian casualties, amidst warnings of a worsening humanitarian crisis in Sana’a, which already suffers from deteriorating medical services and a lack of basic safety measures.
Human Rights Center Demands Accountability for Houthis
Meanwhile, the American Center for Justice (ACJ) stated, citing information from field testimonies, that the Houthi warehouse contained “air defense missiles and large quantities of highly explosive materials, such as sodium nitrate (NaNO), potassium nitrate (KNO), and military-grade (C4).”
It noted that the area witnessed a separate, simultaneous incident where field sources reported a missile exploding during an attempted launch by Houthi militias near Sana’a International Airport, leading to the explosion of a military vehicle north of the airport terminal and a number of casualties among the group.
The ACJ demanded an urgent and independent international investigation to determine the circumstances of the incident and hold those responsible accountable in accordance with international law.
It stressed the necessity of evacuating all arms and explosives depots from residential areas and providing genuine guarantees to protect civilian lives from these irresponsible practices, which represent a direct violation of the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law.
It further called for holding all Houthi leaders involved in storing weapons within residential neighborhoods accountable, and for enabling relief organizations and human rights activists to immediately access the explosion site to provide humanitarian assistance, document the extent of violations, and follow up on the fate of families trapped under the rubble.
