The Israeli military says its air force has carried out its most powerful strike in Yemen in response to the Houthi movement's repeated drone and missile attacks on Israel.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that dozens of aircraft bombed targets belonging to the Houthis' security and intelligence services, and military in the capital Sanaa.
The Houthi-run government's health ministry denounced what it called Israel's brutal crime, mentioning that civilian facilities and residential buildings were affected and that eight people were killed.
This incident follows a day after 22 people were injured, two seriously, by a Houthi drone attack in the Israeli Red Sea resort of Eilat.
The Houthis have controlled much of north-western Yemen for ten years since ousting the country's internationally recognised government, leading to a civil war. They have been attacking Israeli interests and international shipping since the recent commencement of the war between Israel and Hamas in October 2023, claiming to act in support of the Palestinians.
Israel has engaged in multiple rounds of air strikes in Yemen in retaliation for missile and drone attacks originating from the Houthi-controlled regions.
Videos from Sanaa depicted large plumes of black smoke rising from various locations after the airstrikes on Thursday afternoon.
Witnesses reported that the attacks occurred shortly before Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi was set to deliver a speech on Al-Masirah TV. The channel noted that strikes targeted residential areas in the Maain and Sabaeen districts and the Dhahban power station, publishing images of damaged buildings.
Dr. Anees al-Asbahi, a spokesperson for the health ministry, accused the IDF of intentionally targeting civilian facilities and described the attacks as war crimes. Besides the eight deaths, he reported 142 injuries, with many civilians among the casualties.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed the operation was aimed at multiple terror targets of the Houthi organisation, underscoring a commitment to continue military operations to counter ongoing threats to Israel.
The IDF’s investigations suggested that a recent Houthi drone attack on Eilat had posed an unexpected threat, with interception attempts failing. However, the IDF claims a high success rate in intercepting Houthi drone incursions since the onset of the Gaza war.
This cycle of violence in Yemen reflects broader geopolitical tensions as the Houthis continue to assert their military position amid a humanitarian crisis in the region.
