•Air strikes on Yemen today
Israeli air raids struck Yemen’s main airport and power stations in the Sanaa area today, Huthi media and Israel’s military said, the latest retaliation for a missile attack by the Iran-backed rebels.
Our correspondents in the rebel-held Yemeni capital Sanaa reported hearing several strikes and seeing plumes of smoke rising from areas including the airport, reports AFP.
An Israeli military statement said that “fighter jets struck and dismantled Huthi terrorist infrastructure at the main airport in Sanaa” and hit “several central power plants” in the area of the capital.
An earlier raid yesterday killed at least four people and wounded 35 others, according to Huthis, when Israel hit a cement factory and the lifeline port of Hodeida.
Today’s raids hit several locations including Sanaa airport, three power stations in and around the capital, and a cement factory in Amran, rebel media said.
They follow the Iran-backed Huthis’ missile attack on Israel’s main airport on Sunday, which for the first time penetrated the perimeter, leaving a large crater near a car park.
Just before today’s attacks, Israel’s military urged Yemeni civilians to “immediately” evacuate the airport and “stay away from the area”.
“Failing to evacuate may put you at risk,” military spokesman Avichay Adraee posted on X in Arabic.
The latest exchanges come as regional tensions soar anew over Israel’s plan to expand operations in Gaza and displace much of its population.
The Huthis blamed Israel and its ally the United States for the latest strikes. While Israel claimed responsibility, an American official denied any US involvement in yesterday’s raids.
There was no immediate US comment today.
