RIYADH: An airstrike by the Arab Coalition to Restore the Legitimacy in Yemen last month that killed dozens of people traveling on a bus, lacked military justification and requires a review of the rules of engagement, a coalition body said on Saturday.
Mansour Ahmed Al-Mansour, legal adviser to the Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT), said the strike had been based on intelligence indicating that the bus was carrying Houthi leaders, a legitimate military target, but delays in executing the strike and receiving a no-strike order should be investigated.

鈥淭here was a clear delay in preparing the fighter jet at the appropriate time and place, thus losing (the opportunity) to target this bus as a military target in an open area in order to avoid such collateral damage,鈥� Al-Mansour told reporters in the Saudi capital.
鈥淭he team believes that the coalition forces should immediately review the application of their rules of engagement to ensure compliance...鈥� he said.
The Joint Forces Command of the Arab Coalition on Saturday reviewed JIAT鈥檚 findings regarding the allegations surrounding the operation carried out by coalition forces in the Saada governorate.
The International Committee for the Red Cross said at least 29 children were killed and dozens more injured when the bus was hit in Dahyan area in Saada province on Aug 9 .
The conclusions of JIAT鈥檚 investigation indicated that the raid on Dahyan area did not comply with the coalition鈥檚 rules of engagement.
As a result the coalition鈥檚 Joint Forces Command expressed regret over the mistakes and extends its deepest sympathies, condolences and solidarity to the families of the victims, saying its accepts the JIAT鈥檚 results and findings.
Upon receiving the official findings, the Joint Forces Command will undertake legal proceedings to hold those responsible and accountable for committing mistakes, according to the rules and regulations related to such cases.
The coalition said it will 鈥渃ontinue to revise and enhance its rules of engagement, based on the operational lessons learned, in a manner that guarantees the non-recurrence of such incidents.鈥�
The Joint Forces Command said it will also task the Joint Committee to grant voluntary assistance to the families affected in Yemen, and communicate with the legitimate Yemeni government to acquire their names and identities so compensations can be provided under regulatory measures.
The Joint Forces Command reaffirmed its continued commitment to the International Humanitarian Law (IHL), its customary rules and relevant conventions. It pledged to continue 鈥渁pplying the rules of engagement in accordance with
the highest international standards and practices, which will guarantee respect of the law and the preservation of civilian lives and possessions.鈥�
During the press conference, Al-Mansour said that 鈥渁n order had been given not to target the bus, which was among civilians, but the order arrived late.鈥�

Another error was that 鈥渢he target did not pose an immediate threat and that targeting the bus in a residential area was unjustified at that time,鈥� he said.
The JIAT鈥檚 investigation into the attack on the bus examined the flights on the day and video footage of the aircraft that carried out the raid, he added.

Mansour repeated on Saturday that information from intelligence services suggested the bus had been 鈥渢ransporting Houthi leaders.鈥� 
But Mansour admitted the strike had 鈥渃aused collateral damage.鈥�

He also recommended that the coalition hold those responsible for the error accountable and compensate victims.
He said a coalition probe had found that errors were made before the strike, and called for those responsible to be 鈥減unished.鈥�