 "Houthis slam Israeli 'aggression' after strikes in Yemen's capital Sanaa kills 2")
Israeli air raids have struck Yemen’s capital Sanaa, killing at least two people and wounding dozens more, according to the Iran-aligned Houthi group.
The Houthis’ health ministry said on Sunday (August 24) that “two martyrs and 35 wounded” were reported after the strikes. AFP images from the city showed a massive fireball lighting up the night sky, followed by thick columns of black smoke.
A Houthi security source told AFP that a municipal building in central Sanaa was among the targets. “The Israeli aggression targeted an oil company station on Al-Sittine Street with several strikes”, as well as a “power station” in the south of the capital that was also hit last Sunday, the Houthis’ Al-Masirah TV reported.
The Israeli military confirmed the strikes, saying they targeted “Houthi military sites in Sanaa, including areas near the presidential palace, two power plants and a fuel storage facility”. It said the raids came in response to repeated Houthi missile and drone attacks on Israel.
Escalation of attacks
On Friday, Israeli authorities said a missile fired by the Houthis “most likely fragmented in mid-air”. Since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, the Houthis have regularly launched drones and missiles at Israel, describing their attacks as acts of solidarity with Palestinians.
While most projectiles have been intercepted, the launches have triggered repeated Israeli strikes inside Yemen. Earlier this month, Israel said it had hit an energy facility in Sanaa’s Haziz district, causing significant damage. The same power station was among the sites targeted again on Sunday.
Regional tensions
The Houthis have also expanded their campaign to maritime attacks, targeting vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden they claim are linked to Israel. Since January 2024, ships tied to the United States and Britain have also been struck, after Washington and London began military operations to secure the key waterway.
Although the Houthis reached a ceasefire deal with the United States in May, ending weeks of intense US bombing, they pledged to continue striking Israeli ships. Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, warned earlier this month that the Houthis would “pay with compound interest for every attempt to fire at Israel”.
With inputs from AFP
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