Women holding signs depicting slain children from Saudi Arabian air strikes.

DEARBORN — The strife in Yemen has been brought to the forefront after a handful of prominent organizations and activists condemned the massacre, by Saudi Arabian forces, of at least 150 mourners and the injury of about 700 more from an airstrike during a funeral in the county’s capital.

Locally, some Arab Americans, including a politically divided Yemeni community, are angry about Saudi encroachment and what they describe as barbaric attacks on their county.

Last Saturday, fired-up residents took to the streets and protested in front of the Henry Ford Centennial Library, demanding the U.S. put pressure on Saudi Arabia to end strikes in Yemen and called for an international investigation for human rights violations.

On Friday, a memorial for the victims was held at Al-Sharq Hall in Dearborn.

Signs proclaiming “Yemeni lives matter” and boldly charging that “Saudi is ISIS” mirror the frustration of some locals with the Saudi government and about what they say is a pervasive disregard toward the “genocide” in Yemen.

Yahia Almawari, an organizer of the protests through his group, The Arab American Committee Against the War on Yemen, said they want President Obama, the U.S. government, the U.N. Security Council and its secretary general to take actions against Saudi Arabia. They also wish that an independent coalition be established to investigate the kingdom and its collation of allies, believed to be responsible for the destruction in Yemen since 2014.

The organization called for putting an end to the bombing of civilians, primarily by ceasing U.S. sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia.

On Tuesday, Reuters reported that Iran stepped up weapons transfers to the Houthis, the militia fighting the Saudi-backed government in Yemen. The development threatens to prolong and intensify the 19-month-old war.

During this postulated period of peace, Almawari said Yemeni Americans would like to see immediate emergency humanitarian assistance of food, medicine, and shelters be provided to the millions in need. Humanitarian efforts have significantly slowed down due to sanctions on Yemen imposed by the Saudi-led coalition.

Echoing a pro-Houthi position, Almawari urged for the end of the diplomatic representation of “exiled, illegitimate” former Yemeni president Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, who is backed by Saudi Arabia.

“We demand that Saudi Arabia be put back on the United Nations annual list of children killers without any hesitation or influence or threat to cut funding,” he said.

Almawari said he is disheartened by false reporting and propaganda, driven by Saudi Arabia, that combat in Yemen is a result of a civil war and Iranian conquest – not a war initiated by the kingdom.

“Saudi Arabia lies about Iran backing Houthis and make it a reason to attack Yemen with its allies, Al-Qaeda and ISIS,” he said. “Their planes bomb the country and kill civilians and are destroying homes, schools, hospitals, factories, roads bridges and all private and public property, including cultural and historical sites and the Yemeni heritage.”