Israeli air raids on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, killed at least two people on Sunday, according to the country’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
Witnesses reported seeing a massive fireball and thick smoke rising over the city following the strikes. The Houthis’ health ministry confirmed “two martyrs and 35 wounded,” while a security source said a central Sanaa building was hit. The group’s Al-Masirah TV claimed the fatalities occurred when an oil company facility was targeted.
Other reported targets included a power station in southern Sanaa, which had also been attacked last week.
The Israeli military confirmed the strikes, saying they hit a compound housing the presidential palace, as well as two power plants and a fuel depot. It described the operation as retaliation for “repeated attacks by the Houthi terrorist regime against Israel and its civilians,” including a missile launch on Friday.
Israeli officials said the missile, believed to carry a cluster warhead, fragmented mid-air—the first of its kind fired from Yemen.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Israel Katz, and army chief Eyal Zamir monitored the strikes from a command bunker, the defence ministry said. Netanyahu declared that the Houthis were “paying a very high price for their aggression” and warned that Israel’s show of force sent a message to the wider region.
In response, the Houthis vowed not to back down, pledging to continue their fight against Israel and the United States until “the aggression stops and the blockade on Gaza is lifted.”
Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the Israeli strikes.
Since the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023, the Houthis have launched dozens of drone and missile attacks against Israel, most of which were intercepted. Israel has repeatedly struck back, targeting Houthi military and energy sites in Sanaa.
Beyond direct attacks on Israel, the Houthis have also targeted ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, claiming links to Israel, the US, or Britain. Although a May ceasefire ended weeks of US-led strikes against the group, the rebels vowed to continue their campaign against Israeli interests.
Defence Minister Katz recently warned that the Houthis would “pay with compound interest” for any further attacks on Israel.
