Israeli air strikes hit Yemen's capital aimed at Iran-backed Woodenhis

Just days after the Houthi rebels fired a rocket to Israel, the Israeli air strikes hit Yemen’s capital on Sunday, the rebels said, adding that the latest attack targeted the Iranian supported group. The Houthi Media Office said the strikes hit several areas across the capital of Sanaa, including a power station and a gas station. Residents reported that they had heard loud sounds of explosions in different areas, including the presidential palace. The report that strikes were the first to Yemen since a week ago, when Israel said it targeted energy infrastructure, used according to the rebels. Israel did not immediately confirm Sunday’s attack. The Iran-backed Houthi’s launched missiles and drones in the direction of Israel for more than 22 months and targeted ships in the Red Sea. They say they have the attacks in Solidarity with the Palestinians amid the war in the Gaza Strip. Residents of Sanaa told The Associated Press they heard loud explosions near a closed military academy and the presidential palace. They said they could see smoke plumes near Sabeen Square, a central meeting place in the capital. “The sound of explosions was very strong,” said Hussein Mohamed, a Yemenite resident, who lives near the presidential palace. Ahmed al-Mekhlafy, another resident, also said he felt the mere power of the strikes. “The house was shocked, and the windows were crushed,” he told the AP over the phone. Nasruddin Amer, Deputy Chief of the Houthi Media Office, claims that the Israeli strikes do not deter the rebels and that they will continue their attacks on Israel. “Our military operations that support Gaza will not stop, God will, unless the aggression is stopped, and the siege is lifted,” he wrote on social media. The strike comes after the Houthis claimed to have launched newly equipped missiles to Israel, including the largest airport in the country, Friday. There was no reporting damage or injuries in Israel because of the attack. Israel’s army said it was fragmented in the air after several attempts to intercept it. A Israeli air force official, who speaks on condition of anonymity in accordance with military regulations, said the kind of projectile fired from Yemen to Israel on Friday night was a new threat. The missile was a group wheel, he said, a projectile that is supposed to explode in multiple explosives. It was the first time the Houthi’s has launched a group bomb in Israel since the militant group began rocket to Israel in 2023, the official said. The use of group bombs makes it more difficult for Israel to intercept and also represents additional technology provided by Iran to the Houthi’s, the official said. The Houthi attacks over the past two years have increased shipping in the Red Sea, which passes about $ 1 trillion goods each year. From November 2023 to December 2024, the Houthi’s targeted more than 100 ships with missiles and drones. The rebels stopped their attacks during a short ceasefire in the war and later became the target of an intense, week -long air raid campaign ordered by US President Donald Trump. In May, the United States announced an agreement with the Houthis to end the air strikes in exchange for an end to shipping attacks, although the rebel group said the agreement did not include the strike of attacks on targets that were in line with Israel. In May, Israeli air strikes hit the Sanaa in a rare attack on the day that destroyed the terminal of the facility and left craters in his runway. At least six passenger aircraft were hit in that strike, including three belonging to Yemenia Airways, according to the airport authorities. (With AP inputs)