Israel carried out its “most powerful strike” in Yemen on Thursday, targeting Houthi military and intelligence facilities in the capital, Sanaa. The move came in retaliation for repeated Houthi drone and missile attacks on Israel, including a recent assault on the Red Sea resort city of Eilat.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said dozens of aircraft bombed strategic locations, including the Houthi General Staff Command Headquarters, security compounds, military camps, and the movement’s military public relations offices. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the operation as a powerful strike against “terror targets” in Yemen.
Videos from Sanaa showed plumes of black smoke rising from at least three locations, while local media reported damage to residential areas in the Maain and Sabaeen districts, as well as the Dhahban power station. The Houthi-run health ministry reported that eight people were killed and 142 injured, with first responders still searching under rubble for further casualties.
Health ministry spokesman Dr Anees al-Asbahi accused Israel of deliberately targeting civilian facilities and residential buildings, calling the attacks a “war crime in every sense of the word.”
The Israeli military stressed that the strikes were a direct response to the Houthis’ ongoing drone and missile attacks on Israel. A separate statement confirmed that Wednesday’s attack on Eilat was intercepted late by the Iron Dome system, resulting in injuries to 22 people, two of them seriously. The IDF added that corrective measures have been implemented to improve future drone interception.
Houthi military spokesperson said the attacks were carried out in response to what they described as “crimes of genocide and escalation” by Israel in Gaza. The movement has launched numerous drone strikes and missiles at Israel and international shipping in the southern Red Sea since October 2023, citing support for Palestinians.
This latest Israeli operation follows a previous airstrike on 10 September that killed 35 people in Sanaa and al-Jawf provinces. The strikes also drew international attention after 31 journalists and media support staff were killed, marking the deadliest attack on press personnel globally in 16 years, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
The IDF stated that it had specifically targeted the Houthi Public Relations Department, linking it to the spread of propaganda and coordination of attacks.
The escalation in Yemen highlights the widening impact of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, with the Red Sea becoming a flashpoint for regional tensions. Analysts warn that continued retaliatory strikes and drone attacks may increase civilian casualties and destabilize the region further.
Israel reaffirmed its commitment to act against the Houthi threat, stating that additional operations against the group would follow in the near future. Meanwhile, humanitarian agencies in Yemen have expressed deep concern over the growing civilian toll and the destruction of essential infrastructure.
The situation underscores the complex nature of the conflict, involving multiple actors and international shipping lanes, while also demonstrating the Houthis’ ability to strike Israeli territory from Yemen, intensifying regional security concerns.