Yemen's air force bombed a coastal city seized by the local al-Qaida branch, as the fragile nation teeters closer to civil war. Syria's protests also reignited over accusations that the regime, renewing the uprising that has rocked the nation since March 15th.
The Yemeni government bombed Zinjibar, a provincial capital of 20,000, which was seized by al-Qaida of the Arabian Peninsula or local militants affiliated with the group last week. The bombing devastated the city and killed at least 13, in addition to a mass migration of refugees to neighboring towns. Yemeni forces also cracked down heavily on protesters in the city of Taiz, killing at least 50 protesters since Sunday.
There is also a growing possibility of civil war in the country, as fresh fighting has broken out between government forces and militants loyal to powerful tribal leader Sadeq al-Ahmar.
Syrian protests reignited following news that a 13 year-old Hamza el-Khatib was tortured by Syrian security forces, who beat and shot the child before breaking his neck and mutilating his body. Like Iran's symbolic martyr Neda Agha-Soltan, the boy's death has swung many fence sitters to the side of the protests. For them, the murder of el-Khatib proved the hollowness of the regime's promises, including a vague general amnesty offered by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.