Israeli airstrikes target Yemen’s Houthi-controlled Sana’a

Israel on Thursday launched a series of airstrikes in the Yemeni capital of Sana’a controlled by the Iran-aligned Houthi militia, local residents said, the latest in a military escalation between the two sides.

The Israeli military said the strikes targeted the Houthis’ military facilities in Sana’a, including the militia’s general staff command headquarters.

Eyewitnesses told dpa the strikes had resulted in powerful explosions.

The Houthi-affiliated TV al-Masirah reported an “Israeli aggression” targeted Sana’a, without giving details.

The attack coincided with a televised address by the militia’s leader Abdel-Malek al-Houthi.

The hits come a day after a drone attack claimed by the Houthis in the city of Eilat in southern Israel, injured 20 people, according to rescue workers.

Since the start of the Gaza conflict in October 2023, the Houthis have been regularly attacking Israel with missiles and drones in support of the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement.

Israel, in turn, repeatedly targets sites in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen.