Yemen’s capital city, Sanaa, is home to A Houthi-run health official said that a series of Israeli airstrikes hit the Yemeni capital of Sanaa on Sunday, killing at least six people and hurting 86. Israel said the attacks were in reaction to “repeated attacks” from the Houthi rebels. They hit a building in central Sanaa, a power plant, and a petrol station.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged the strikes and said they were aimed against the Houthi regime’s “military infrastructure,” which included a military facility where the presidential palace stands, the Asar and Hizaz power facilities, and a place to store fuel. The IDF said that the Houthis use these civilian buildings for military objectives.
The strikes happened only two days after the Houthis shot a missile at Israel. An Israeli Air Force officer added that the missile, which was the first of its kind to be fired from Yemen, had a cluster warhead and broke apart in mid-air, damaging a house in central Israel.
Since the war in Gaza started in October 2023, the fight between Israel and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels has gotten worse. The Houthis have fired missiles and drones against Israel many times, saying they are doing so to show support for the Palestinians. Israel has responded by attacking parts of Yemen held by the Houthis.
Houthi leaders promptly criticized the Israeli assaults, calling them “brutal aggression” against civilian infrastructures. They also promised that the attacks would not stop them from helping the Palestinians in Gaza. The group’s Al Masirah TV said that the strikes also hit an oil firm building and a power station that had already been hit. Hamas also released a statement criticizing the Israeli attacks on Yemen, calling them a “clear violation of Arab sovereignty and international law.”