SANA’A: Israeli airstrikes in Yemen’s capital killed at least four people and wounded 67 others according to Huthi rebel authorities.
The Iran-backed Huthi rebels reported the strikes targeted central Sana’a including a presidential palace compound and energy infrastructure.
AFP images captured a massive fireball illuminating the night sky over the rebel-held capital followed by thick black smoke.
A Huthi security source confirmed the strikes hit a building in central Sana’a while Al-Masirah TV reported additional strikes on an oil facility and power station.
The Israeli army stated it targeted a military compound containing the presidential palace along with two power stations and a fuel depot.
These strikes represented “in response to repeated attacks by the Huthi terrorist regime against the State of Israel and its civilians”.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the air force struck “the presidential palace in the heart of the capital Sana’a, the city’s power plant and the fuel tanks that supply it”.
Netanyahu warned that “the terrorist Huthi regime is learning the hard way that it will pay — and has paid already — a very high price for its aggression against the State of Israel”.
The Huthis political bureau vowed to continue fighting Israel and the United States “until the aggression stops and the (Israeli) blockade on Gaza is lifted”.
Iran’s foreign ministry officially condemned the Israeli strikes on Sunday.
Since October 2023 the Huthis have repeatedly launched missiles and drones at Israel in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Most Huthi attacks have been intercepted though they prompted Israeli retaliatory strikes on rebel targets in Yemen.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz previously warned the Huthis would “pay with compound interest for every attempt to fire at Israel”.
The Huthis have also targeted ships linked to Israel in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden throughout the conflict. – AFP