The Death of 31 Journalists in Yemen: Press Freedom and Politics

On 10 September 2025, an Israeli airstrike in Yemen resulted in the deaths of 46 people, 31 of whom were media workers. One week later, a mass funeral was held in Sana’a for the journalists who lost their lives. Regardless of the circumstances, attacks targeting journalists have been widely condemned by the international community and have become a highly sensitive issue for international legal experts. The United Nations described the incident as the deadliest attack on journalists in the last 20 years. 

Although the event did not initiate a new humanitarian crisis, it represented a clear violation of the laws of war. According to international norms, this was an attack on civilians, and there exists a well-established norm regarding the protection of civilians. If such norms are not upheld in practice, they remain merely symbolic principles on paper. 

Looking at Yemen’s broader situation, the conflict has long surpassed the boundaries of a civil war and has transformed into a power struggle involving the United States, Israel, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. It has become part of a much larger geopolitical game. 

This incident has reopened debates about press freedom, the laws of armed conflict, and regional security dynamics. It represents not only a human tragedy but also an event that challenges and questions the effectiveness of international norms. 

References  

Euronews. (2025, September 16). İsrail’in öldürdüğü 31 Yemenli gazeteci için cenaze töreni düzenlendi. Euronews. https://tr.euronews.com/2025/09/16/israilin-oldurdugu-31-yemenli-gazeteci-icin-cenaze-toreni-duzenlendi 

IFEX. (2025). Israel’s killing of 31 Yemeni journalists marks deadliest global attack in 20 years. IFEX. https://ifex.org/ 

The Washington Post. (2025, September 19). Israel killed 31 journalists in Yemen strike, press freedom group says. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/09/19/yemen-journalists-strike-israel-houthis/