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| Israeli air strikes on Thursday on Yemen’s capital Sanaa followed a similar attack on the city at the weekend. (AFP/File) |
SANAA, Yemen — The Israeli military confirmed on Thursday that it carried out fresh airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, escalating tensions in the region as the Gaza war continues to spill over. This marks the second Israeli strike on the city in less than a week.
Strikes Hit Presidential Complex Area
Residents in Sanaa reported that Israeli missiles struck an area near the presidential complex and another site in southern Sanaa. According to Yemeni military sources, the complex was being used as a command center and missile storage facility by the Iran-backed Houthis.
Israel, however, described the operation as a “single attack,” while Israeli security officials said the target included multiple sites where senior Houthi leaders had gathered to watch a pre-recorded speech by their leader, Abdul Malik Al-Houthi.
The Houthis, through their defense ministry and state-run news agency, denied reports that their leadership had been targeted.
Israeli Response and Warning
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed harsh retaliation against groups threatening Israel, declaring:
“Whoever raises a hand against Israel — his hand will be cut off.”
The strikes come just days after Israel retaliated for Houthi missile launches aimed at Israeli territory. Most of the missiles have been intercepted by Israeli defense systems, but the attacks have prompted repeated airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas, including Yemen’s vital Red Sea port of Hodeidah.
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Houthis Pledge Continued Support for Gaza
The Houthis, who control much of Yemen’s population centers, have positioned themselves as part of the “axis of resistance” aligned with Iran. They have carried out missile launches toward Israel and targeted commercial vessels in the Red Sea, describing their actions as “solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza.”
Nasruldeen Amer, a senior Houthi official, reiterated on Thursday that the group would not back down, saying the Houthis will continue to act in support of Palestinians despite Israeli strikes.
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Growing Regional Spillover
The Gaza conflict has increasingly drawn in regional actors, with the Houthis in Yemen joining Hezbollah in Lebanon and other Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria in confronting Israel. The latest strikes underscore the widening scope of the conflict and the risk of further destabilization in the Red Sea region, a critical global trade route.
Source: Arab News