On Thursday, Israeli warplanes carried out another round of airstrikes against Yemen, targeting the capital, Sanaa, and several ports, killing at least four people.
The Israeli attacks on the Yemeni capital included strikes on the Sanaa International Airport, which killed three people and injured 16 others, according to Yemeni media. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), said he was at the airport during the attack.
Ghebreyesus said he was about to board a plane with WHO and UN staff when the attack started. “One of our plane’s crew members was injured,” he said. “The air traffic control tower, the departure lounge – just a few meters from where we were – and the runway were damaged. We will need to wait for the damage to the airport to be repaired before we can leave.”
On the western coast of Yemen, Israeli strikes hit a power station in the city of Hodeidah and the ports of Salif and Ras Isa, which are all located in the Hodeidah province. At least one person was killed in Hodeidah, and three people are missing.
The Israeli military claimed it hit “military infrastructure” used by the Houthis and also acknowledged targeting energy infrastructure. “The targets that were struck by the IDF include military infrastructure used by the Houthi terrorist regime for its military activities in both the Sanaa International Airport and the Hezyaz and Ras Kanatib power stations,” the IDF said.
The attack marked the second round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen within a week. Strikes launched last Thursday hit similar targets and killed at least nine people. Israel has ramped up its attacks on Yemen as the Houthis have been more successful in their missile and drone attacks on Israeli territory.
The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, have vowed they won’t back down in the face of stepped-up Israeli strikes. Since last year, the Houthis have been launching attacks on Israel-linked shipping and firing missiles and drones at Israel in response to the onslaught in Gaza.
Back in January 2024, the US began a new bombing campaign against the Houthis and launched hundreds of missile strikes on Yemen that have done nothing but escalate the situation. The Houthis started targeting American shipping in response and have been able to expand their attacks on Israel.
From 2015-2022, the US supported a Saudi/UAE war against the Houthis, which involved heavy airstrikes and a blockade, and the Houthis only became a more capable fighting force during that time.
According to the UN, the war killed at least 377,000 people, with more than half dying of starvation and disease caused by the siege. A ceasefire between the Houthis and Saudis has held relatively well since April 2022, but new US sanctions are blocking the implementation of a lasting peace deal.
