Yemen Monitor/ Newsroom:
The Israeli Air Force launched a massive assault on the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, on Thursday afternoon, marking the most intense series of raids since the recent escalation between Israel and the Houthi movement.
The large-scale operation followed direct threats of a harsh response from Israeli leadership after a drone attack on the southern Israeli city of Eilat.
Israeli media provided details on the targets struck in Sana’a. Channel 13 reported that the strikes focused on high-value Houthi assets, including:
- Military leaders
- Command headquarters
- Weapons depots
Channel 12 later confirmed that the aerial operation had concluded. Meanwhile, Houthi-affiliated media acknowledged that Israeli aircraft had carried out the raids, a point echoed by the Israeli Army Radio, which reported that the Air Force conducted operations against unspecified targets within Yemen.
The attack appears to be direct retaliation for a drone strike on Eilat in southern occupied Palestine just one day prior, on Wednesday. That attack injured approximately 50 Israelis, with some reportedly in serious condition.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had promised a decisive response shortly after the Eilat incident. In a Wednesday evening statement, Netanyahu declared that “any aggression against Israeli cities will be met with a painful strike on the Houthi regime,” confirming he had instructed the military to prepare response options for what he termed “the increasing aerial threats.”
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz further amplified the threats, warning the Houthis that they “will learn a difficult lesson.” Writing on the “X” platform, Katz asserted that the “Houthi terrorists refuse to learn from Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza,” adding a stark warning: “Whoever harms Israel will be harmed sevenfold.”
The airstrikes signal a significant escalation in the conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Houthi movement operating from Yemen.
