ADEN — Iran-backed Houthi militia bombed a local market in Saada province, killing at least 10 civilians including children, on Monday, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported quoting an official source at the Yemeni government.

The government condemned the attack, which was carried out using a Katyusha rocket launcher.

"The massacre perpetrated by the Iran-backed Houthi militia against the people in the region is a collective punishment for the people's rejection of the Houthi rebellion, their realization of the danger of the Houthi project and its disruption of the social fabric and its igniting of a futile war against the legitimate authority," the source was quoted as saying.

"The international disregard of such heinous and repeated crimes against civilians including indiscriminate killing of women and children in Yemen will encourage Houthis to continue their actions of killing, executions, and throwing young children to their death," the Yemeni official added, according to SPA report.

Turki Al-Maliki, spokesman of the Saudi-led Arab coalition accused the Houthis of attacking the market.

"The attack carried out by the Houthis on Al-Thabet market is a terrorist act to spite Yemenis and the tribes of Al-Thabet, Al-Maliki said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Yemen's Information Minister Moammar Al-Eryani said the Houthis have "committed a heinous massacre of civilians by shelling the market in Saada."