A bomb rigged to a motorcycle detonated outside a mosque in northern Yemen on Friday, killing at least 12 worshipers, wounding dozens and threatening to rekindle an intermittent war between northern rebels and government forces.
The death toll seemed likely to rise. The Associated Press, also citing government officials, reported 18 deaths.
The bombing appeared to be the first time civilians were direct targets in the conflict, which has mostly consisted of armed skirmishes between the Houthi rebels and government forces in remote mountain areas. Thousands of people have died since the war broke out in 2004.
The government of Yemen, a majority Sunni Muslim country, has accused the Houthi rebels of receiving support from Iran, which is predominantly Shiite. Yemen’s Sunni Arab neighbors, especially Saudi Arabia, are deeply concerned about Iranian influence, particularly in light of Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Yemeni officials accused the rebels of setting off the blast. The imam of the mosque that was bombed was a known opponent of the Houthi movement and a part-time army commander, the officials said. The imam was not injured in the bombing.