Adding to the endless list of attacks on civilian targets by Saudi warplanes, officials confirmed that today the planes attacked and destroyed a pair of parked fuel trucks in the Ibb Province, sparking an explosion which killed at least 14 people and wounding at least 11 others. 13 of the slain were civilians, along with one soldier.

Saudi officials shrugged off those claims, insisting that they believe the trucks, which all locals confirmed were full of fuel, were actually secretly full of weapons, and that all the civilians killed in the attack were secretly weapons smugglers working for the Houthis.

Such excuses have become increasingly common following Saudi airstrikes involving civilian targets. Earlier in the war there was little scrutiny, and thus little comment at all of the incidents, but a soaring death toll has sparked growing international outcry, and even long-time backers of the Saudi war, like the US, have begun expressing disquiet about it.

Saudi Brig. Gen. Ahmed al-Asseri insisted it was “possible” there was fuel being carried in the fuel trucks, but that they remain certain that weapons were being smuggled in the tanker trucks.