At least 35 people were killed and more than 130 wounded on Wednesday after Israeli warplanes struck multiple sites in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and the al-Jawf governorate, according to the Houthi-run Ministry of Health. The strikes came one day after Israel targeted Hamas leaders in Qatar, marking another expansion of its military operations across the Middle East.
The ministry reported that residential areas, a medical facility in southwest Sanaa, and government buildings in al-Hazm, the capital of al-Jawf, were among the locations hit. Rescue crews continued to search through debris late into the day, with officials warning the casualty toll could rise. Local television broadcasts showed smoke rising above neighborhoods and residents rushing to assist survivors.
Israel’s military confirmed responsibility for the operation, stating that it struck what it described as Houthi military targets, including camps, fuel storage facilities, and the group’s public relations offices. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attack was in response to a drone strike on Ramon Airport in southern Israel earlier this week, which left one person wounded.
“Whoever strikes us, we will strike in return,” Netanyahu said in a statement posted online. “We reached those responsible today and we will continue to act whenever Israel is attacked.”
The Houthis, who control large portions of northern Yemen, contested Israel’s claims. Spokesman Yahya Saree said the group’s air defenses launched surface-to-air missiles and forced some Israeli aircraft to retreat. He alleged that the strikes targeted civilian areas, including media offices and residential homes, and vowed that retaliation would follow.
The Houthis have been engaged in Yemen’s civil war for nearly a decade and are closely aligned with Iran. Since Israel’s war in Gaza began in October 2023, the group has carried out missile and drone attacks against Israeli territory and international shipping in the Red Sea, presenting itself as part of a regional campaign of support for Palestinians. The Houthis say they will continue such actions until a ceasefire is reached in Gaza.
Israel has repeatedly struck Houthi positions in recent months. In August, an Israeli raid killed the Houthi prime minister, Ahmed al-Rahawi, and several ministers. Wednesday’s attack followed that pattern but was among the deadliest strikes in the Yemeni capital since the Gaza conflict began.
Casualty figures remain contested. Yemen’s health ministry said 28 people were killed and more than 110 injured in Sanaa, with an additional seven deaths in al-Jawf. Al-Masirah, a Houthi-linked broadcaster, reported that a medical station, two newspaper offices, and a government compound were among the buildings hit. Israel has not commented on those specific allegations.
The escalation in Yemen came as Israel also faces international backlash for its strike in Doha, where several Hamas officials were targeted. That attack drew condemnation from Qatar, the United Nations, and multiple Arab and European governments. The United States, which has a major air base in Qatar, expressed unease about the strike but maintained that Hamas remains a legitimate target.
Israel’s expanding campaign across the region highlights growing risks of the Gaza conflict spilling over into neighboring countries. With strikes in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and now Yemen, alongside the attack in Qatar, Israel has widened its battlefield far beyond Gaza’s borders. For Yemen, a country already devastated by years of civil war, the latest assault has added another layer of destruction.
Green = Israel
Orange = Yemen
Image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license and was created using MapChart (https://mapchart.net).
