Israeli Airstrikes Pound Yemen’s Capital Sanaa Amid Rising Regional Tensions
Israeli Airstrikes Pound Yemen’s Capital Sanaa Amid Rising Regional Tensions
Sanaa, Yemen – September 25, 2025
The Israeli military launched a series of large-scale airstrikes on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, on Thursday, escalating an already volatile conflict that has drawn in multiple regional powers since the Gaza war began nearly two years ago.
According to Al Masirah TV, run by the Houthi movement, several explosions were heard across Sanaa, with thick plumes of smoke seen rising from southern and western districts. The strikes left civilian neighborhoods shaken as ambulances rushed to the targeted areas.
Israel Confirms “Powerful” Operation
An Israeli army spokesperson confirmed the raids, stating that dozens of warplanes and aerial support units participated in what was described as a “powerful strike” against Houthi infrastructure.
The military said it targeted the “command headquarters of the Houthi General Staff,” as well as compounds associated with the group’s intelligence and security wings. Israel also claimed to have struck the headquarters of the Houthis’ “military propaganda department,” armed training camps, and facilities storing drones and ballistic missiles.
Defence Minister Israel Katz praised the operation, writing on X (formerly Twitter) that “dozens of Houthi terror operatives were eliminated.”
Conflicting Reports on Casualties
While Israeli officials touted the mission as a significant success, Houthi media gave a different account. Al Masirah TV reported that two people were killed and 48 others were injured, many of them civilians. Residents described scenes of panic, with families fleeing their homes in fear of further bombardments.
Reuters correspondents in Yemen cited locals who said the strikes appeared to focus on both southern and western Sanaa, where military facilities are known to exist. However, they added that residential areas also sustained damage.
Houthi Leader Speaks as Strikes Hit
The timing of the strikes coincided with a televised speech by Houthi leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi, who condemned Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza.
“Israel continues its brutal aggression and genocide against the Palestinian people,” he said. “The United States, by using its veto at the Security Council to block a ceasefire, gives Israel the green light to commit further crimes.”
Al-Houthi went on to praise Palestinian armed factions for carrying out what he described as “heroic resistance operations” despite limited resources.
Retaliation for Red Sea Attacks
Israeli officials said the strikes were in direct retaliation for recent Houthi attacks. On Wednesday, the Houthis claimed responsibility for a drone strike on a hotel in Israel’s Red Sea port city of Eilat. The attack came after Israel conducted 12 separate air raids earlier this month on Yemen’s strategic port of Hodeidah.
Earlier in September, Israeli airstrikes in Sanaa and the northern al-Jawf province killed more than 40 people, including children and journalists, according to humanitarian groups.
A Broader Regional Conflict
The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, have escalated their involvement in the Israel-Palestine conflict since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October 2023. Declaring their actions as “solidarity with Palestinians,” they have fired drones and missiles at Israeli territory and targeted commercial ships passing through the Red Sea.
These attacks have disrupted global trade and prompted military responses not only from Israel but also from the United States and the United Kingdom, which have conducted joint operations against Houthi sites in Yemen.
Analysts warn that the involvement of the Houthis — backed by Iran — risks pulling the conflict deeper into a regional war that could stretch from Gaza to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.
Humanitarian Concerns
Yemen, already grappling with one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises after nearly a decade of civil war, faces further devastation from renewed airstrikes. International aid organizations voiced alarm over the latest escalation, warning that civilian casualties will likely rise if the bombing campaign continues.
“Each new strike further destroys Yemen’s fragile infrastructure and leaves civilians paying the heaviest price,” a humanitarian worker in Sanaa told reporters.
Looking Ahead
While Israel insists its strikes are defensive, meant to curb Houthi attacks on its territory, the Houthis vow to continue their operations until a permanent ceasefire is reached in Gaza.
The cycle of attack and retaliation has raised fears that the Gaza war’s fallout is rapidly spreading across the Middle East, threatening regional stability and c
omplicating international efforts to negotiate peace.
