At least nine people were killed and 118 injured in Israeli airstrikes on Yemen’s capital Sanaa and the Al-Jawf province, officials confirmed Wednesday. The attacks came just a day after Israel targeted Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar.
According to Al Jazeera, Yemen’s Ministry of Health said the death toll could rise as rescue teams continued searching through rubble. Civil defense units were also battling fires caused by the strikes while attempting to pull survivors from collapsed buildings.
The ministry reported that residential neighborhoods and civilian areas were hit, including homes in Sanaa’s Al-Tahrir district, a medical center on 60th Street in the city’s southwest, and a government compound in Al-Jawf’s capital Al-Hazm.
Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV confirmed casualties, stating that several houses and an office for “moral guidance” were damaged. The channel reported that Israeli jets targeted a medical facility and government buildings. Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree claimed their forces fired surface-to-air missiles, forcing some Israeli aircraft to retreat before striking.
The Israeli military acknowledged the strikes, saying it targeted Houthi-linked military sites, including camps, fuel depots, and a public relations headquarters. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes were retaliation for a recent Houthi drone attack on Israel’s Ramon Airport. He warned that Israel would continue its operations, declaring, “Whoever strikes us, we will strike back.”