Sana’a: Israeli forces carried out airstrikes on Sunday targeting key infrastructure in Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, in what the military described as retaliation for recent missile and drone assaults by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
The strikes hit multiple sites across the war-torn city, including energy facilities and locations near the presidential palace, which has long been under Houthi control. According to the Houthi media office, a power station and a gas depot were among the targets. According to AP, residents reported hearing powerful explosions throughout the capital.

“The sound of explosions were very strong,” said Hussein Mohamed, who lives near the presidential compound. Another resident, Ahmed al-Mekhlafy, said, “The house was rocked, and the windows were shattered."

According to Houthi media, the strikes on the rebel-held city left at least two people dead. The Iran-backed Houthis' Al-Masirah TV reported a preliminary toll of "two dead and five wounded following the Israeli attack" on an oil company facility in the city.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the operation, stating it had targeted “military infrastructure of the Houthi terrorist regime.” The military said the strikes included a site housing the presidential palace, the Asar and Hizaz power plants, and a fuel storage facility. “All were used for the military activity of the Houthi terrorist regime,” the IDF statement claimed.

Al-Masirah TV described the incident as an Israeli “aggression on the capital Sana’a,” though it did not provide further details. A Houthi security source told AFP that a municipal building in central Sana’a was also hit, with reports of casualties emerging from the scene. There was no immediate comment from Israeli officials regarding those claims.

The IDF said the strikes were in retaliation for recent launches of surface-to-surface missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) aimed at Israeli territory. “The Houthi terrorist regime operates under the direction and funding of the Iranian regime, in order to harm the State of Israel and its allies,” the statement added.

The escalation comes just days after the Houthis claimed to have fired newly equipped missiles at Israel, including an attempted strike on the country’s largest airport. No injuries or damage were reported. An Israeli Air Force official, speaking anonymously due to military regulations, told AP that the missile fired from Yemen on Friday night represented a new threat. It was reportedly the first time the Houthis had deployed a cluster bomb against Israel. The official said the weapon’s complexity made interception more difficult and indicated advanced technology supplied by Iran.

Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza in October 2023, the Houthis have repeatedly launched missiles and drones at Israel, citing solidarity with Palestinians. While most of these attacks have been intercepted, they have triggered a series of retaliatory Israeli airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen.

The conflict has also disrupted maritime trade in the Red Sea, a vital corridor through which an estimated $1 trillion in goods passes annually. Houthi attacks on commercial vessels have largely ceased following U.S.-ordered airstrikes during President Donald Trump’s administration. In May, Washington announced a deal with the Houthis, though the group insisted it did not include halting attacks on Israeli-linked targets.

Sunday’s strikes mark the latest chapter in the ongoing regional tensions, with Israel continuing to target Houthi military assets in response to cross-border threats. On August 17, Israel said it had hit an energy site in Sana’a, with Al-Masirah reporting damage to the Haziz power station.

“The strikes were conducted in response to repeated attacks by the Houthi terrorist regime against the state of Israel and its civilians, including the launching of surface-to-surface missiles and UAVs toward Israeli territory in recent days,” the Israeli military said. 

(With inputs from AP, AFP)