At least 35 people were killed and more than 130 injured on Wednesday after Israeli air strikes pounded multiple locations in Yemen, less than 24 hours after Israel bombed a residential building in Doha, Qatar, in an apparent bid to assassinate Hamas leaders, Al Jazeera reported.
Yemen’s Ministry of Health confirmed on Thursday that the strikes hit densely populated residential areas in Sanaa and the Al-Jawf governorate, warning that the toll was only preliminary and could rise as rescue workers comb through rubble for survivors.
Among the sites struck were homes in al-Tahrir neighbourhood, a medical facility on 60th Street, and a government compound in Al-Hazm, capital of Al-Jawf. Civil defence teams battled fires and pulled victims from collapsed structures, while authorities reported extensive damage to civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and fuel depots.
The Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reported “martyrs, wounded, and several homes damaged” after Israeli forces struck the group’s Moral Guidance Headquarters, as well as health facilities in southwest Sanaa and government buildings in Al-Jawf. The Yemen Oil and Gas Corporation also confirmed that a medical station was hit during the bombardment.
In response, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed their air defences launched surface-to-air missiles at Israeli jets.
“Our air defences were able to confront the Zionist aggression against our country… the bulk of the attack was thwarted,” Saree said in a Telegram statement.
Israel’s military later confirmed the operation, saying its Air Force struck “military targets belonging to the Houthi terrorist regime,” including training camps, PR headquarters, and a fuel storage facility.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the strikes, saying they were retaliation for a recent Houthi drone attack on Israel’s Ramon Airport.
“Anyone who strikes us, anyone who attacks us – we will reach them,” Netanyahu declared on X.
The air raids mark the latest escalation in Israel’s widening regional campaign. Just last month, Israeli strikes killed top Yemeni officials, including Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi. The Houthis, in turn, vowed to continue operations against Israel until the war in Gaza ends.
Since late 2023, the Houthis have blockaded Israeli-linked vessels in the Red Sea and launched repeated drone and missile attacks into Israeli territory. The group insists it will halt operations only if a Gaza ceasefire is reached.
The war in Gaza itself has now entered its 23rd month, with more than 64,000 Palestinians reported killed since October 2023. Beyond Gaza, Israel has expanded strikes to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, while intensifying raids in the occupied West Bank, displacing thousands.
On Tuesday, Israeli forces bombed a residential building in Doha, Qatar, where Hamas leaders were reportedly meeting over a ceasefire proposal from former U.S. President Donald Trump. At least six people were killed in that strike, though Hamas later announced that its top leadership survived.
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