Israeli airstrikes hit Yemen’s capital targeting Iran-backed Houthis, rebels and residents say

CAIRO (AP) — Israeli airstrikes deed Yemen’s superior connected Sunday, conscionable days aft the Houthi rebels fired a rocket toward Israel, the rebels said, the latest Israeli onslaught targeting the Iranian-backed group.

The Houthi media bureau said the strikes deed aggregate areas crossed the superior of Sanaa, including a powerfulness satellite and a state station. Residents reported proceeding large sounds of explosions successful antithetic areas, including adjacent to the statesmanlike palace.

The reported strikes were the archetypal to deed Yemen since a week ago, erstwhile Israel said it targeted vigor infrastructure it believed was utilized by the rebels. Israel did not instantly confirmed Sunday’s attack.

The Iran-backed Houthis person launched missiles and drones toward Israel and targeted ships successful the Red Sea for much than 22 months. They accidental they are carrying retired the attacks successful solidarity with the Palestinians amid the warfare successful the Gaza Strip.

Sanaa residents told The Associated Press they heard large explosions adjacent to a closed subject academy and the statesmanlike palace. They said they could spot fume plumes adjacent Sabeen Square, a cardinal gathering spot successful the capital.

“The dependable of explosions were precise strong,” said Hussein Mohamed, a Yemeni resident, who lives adjacent to the statesmanlike palace.

Ahmed al-Mekhlafy, different resident, besides said helium felt the sheer unit of the strikes. “The location was rocked, and the windows were shattered,” helium told the AP implicit the phone.

Nasruddin Amer, lawman caput of the Houthi media office, claimed the Israeli strikes won’t deter the rebels, and vowed to proceed their attacks connected Israel.

“Our subject operations supporting Gaza won’t stop, God willing, unless the aggression is stopped, and the siege is lifted,” helium wrote connected societal media.

The onslaught comes aft the Houthis claimed they launched recently equipped missiles toward Israel, including targeting the country’s largest airport, connected Friday. There was nary reported harm oregon injuries successful Israel from that attack. Israel’s subject said it fragmented mid-air aft respective attempts to intercept it.

An Israeli Air Force official, speaking connected information of anonymity successful enactment with subject regulations, said the benignant of projectile fired from Yemen towards Israel connected Friday nighttime was a caller threat. The rocket was a clump munition, helium said, a projectile that is expected to detonate into aggregate explosives.

It was the archetypal clip the Houthis had launched a clump weaponry astatine Israel since the militant radical began launching rockets towards Israel successful 2023, the authoritative said.

The usage of clump bombs makes it harder for Israel to intercept and besides represents further exertion provided to the Houthis by Iran, the authoritative said.

The Houthi attacks implicit the past 2 years person upended shipping successful the Red Sea, done which astir $1 trillion of goods passes each year.

From November 2023 to December 2024, the Houthis targeted much than 100 ships with missiles and drones. The rebels stopped their attacks during a little ceasefire successful the warfare and aboriginal became the people of an intense, weekslong airstrike run ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump.

In May, the United States announced a woody with the Houthis to extremity the airstrikes successful instrumentality for an extremity to shipping attacks, though the rebel radical said the statement did not see halting attacks connected targets it believed were aligned with Israel.

In May, Israeli airstrikes deed the Sanaa successful a uncommon daytime onslaught that destroyed the facility’s terminal and near craters successful its runway. At slightest six rider planes were deed successful that strike, including 3 belonging to Yemenia Airways, according to the airdrome authorities.

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Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Metz from Jerusalem. Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell successful Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.

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