Israeli air raids struck Yemen’s main airport and power stations in the Sanaa area on Tuesday, Huthi media and Israel’s military said, the latest retaliation for a missile attack by the Iran-backed rebels.
AFP correspondents in the Huthi-controlled Yemeni capital, Sanaa, reported hearing multiple airstrikes and seeing smoke rising from various locations, including the airport.
According to a statement from the Israeli military, its fighter jets targeted and dismantled what it described as Huthi “terrorist infrastructure” at Sanaa’s main airport, in addition to striking several central power plants in the capital region.
A previous Israeli airstrike on Monday, which targeted a cement factory and the key port of Hodeida, killed at least four people and injured 35 others, according to the Huthis.
On Tuesday, further air raids struck several sites, including Sanaa airport, three power stations in and around the capital, and another cement factory in Amran, rebel-aligned media reported.
These strikes followed the Huthis’ unprecedented missile attack on Israel’s main airport on Sunday, which breached the perimeter and left a large crater near a parking area.
Ahead of Tuesday’s airstrikes, the Israeli military issued a warning urging Yemeni civilians to immediately evacuate the airport and surrounding areas. “Failing to evacuate may put you at risk,” warned military spokesperson Avichay Adraee in a post on X (formerly Twitter), written in Arabic.
The latest escalation occurs amid rising regional tensions, driven in part by Israel’s plans to intensify military operations in Gaza and displace parts of its population.
The Huthis accused both Israel and the United States of being responsible for the strikes. While Israel acknowledged carrying out the attacks, a U.S. official denied any American involvement in Monday’s raids. There was no immediate response from U.S. officials regarding Tuesday’s events.
