(Previous Incident Code: YEMT083)

Multiple local language sources reported that US airstrikes targeted alleged AQAP militants with “phosphorous bombs” near Sahn Al Jin, in Marib governorate, on May 8th 2017.

Though most sources assigned responsibility to the US, two social media sources instead asserted that Saudi Arabian forces were responsible, leading Airwars to assess this event as Contested. There were no known associated reports of civilian harm.

Sources indicated that “dozens” were killed and injured in the strikes, reportedly targeted alleged militants training on a farm near the Sahn Al Jin “Tadawin” camp. As such, Airwars has set the minimum number of deaths at twelve, with a maximum of 24, to reflect the description of “dozens”. Numbers of injured belligerents have been set similarly.

According to some sources, three phosphorous bombs were dropped in the area. Most suggested that the strikes were carried out by a drone, though some instead mentioned ballistic missiles.

Though no sources explicitly mentioned the timing of the reported strikes, alleged images of the strikes indicated that they took place during the night.