Three Yemeni women and two girls were killed today in a drone attack in southern Yemen, according to Houthi rebels and government sources who each accuse of being behind the attack.

“Three women and two girls were killed while searching for water at one of the wells,” the rebel-controlled health ministry said, blaming pro-government forces.

The attack took place in Taiz governorate, a government-held area close to the front line between the two sides.

A local security source, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to reporters, confirmed the deaths of the five civilians, saying they were targeted by the rebels.

“Government forces do not have drones and have never conducted such operations,” said a military official in the government camp.

Since 2014, Yemen has been plagued by a conflict between the government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia, and the Houthis, who are close to Iran.

The rebels, who control large swathes of territory, have carried out several drone and missile attacks in recent months against merchant ships in the Red Sea, saying they were acting “in solidarity” with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The war in Yemen has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and has plunged the population into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Violent incidents have declined significantly since the months-long UN-negotiated ceasefire in April 2022, even if that truce has not been formally extended.