Israel Strikes Houthi Targets in Sanaa After Cluster Missile Attack on Central Israel

by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff

(Worthy News) – The Israeli Air Force (IAF) on Sunday launched extensive airstrikes on Houthi-controlled Sanaa, Yemen, killing at least four people and wounding 67, in response to a ballistic missile attack on Israel two days earlier. The Houthis, an Iran-backed militia, have repeatedly targeted Israel with missiles and drones since late 2023.

According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the strikes targeted four sites: a military compound encompassing Yemen’s presidential palace, a major fuel depot, and the Hizaz and Asar power plants. Israeli officials said these facilities were used for Houthi military operations, including command-and-control and weapons deployment.

“The Houthi terrorist regime is learning the hard way that it will pay and is paying a very heavy price for its aggression against Israel,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said while observing the strike from the IAF’s command center in Tel Aviv alongside Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir.

Houthis Introduce Cluster Bomb Warhead

Sunday’s strikes followed an IAF investigation that confirmed the Houthis had, for the first time, launched a ballistic missile armed with a cluster bomb warhead against Israel. The missile broke apart over central Israel Friday night, scattering submunitions. One struck the yard of a home in Ginaton, causing damage but no injuries. The resident, Ilana Hatoumi, was unharmed after sheltering inside her reinforced room.

Cluster munitions, banned under a 2008 international convention signed by 112 countries, scatter dozens of small bombs over a wide area, many of which fail to explode on impact, posing long-term risks to civilians. Neither Israel nor Iran has signed the treaty.

Long-Range Operation

The Sanaa operation involved about a dozen IAF aircraft, including fighter jets and aerial refuelers. The jets flew more than 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) each way, with multiple mid-air refueling maneuvers, and dropped some 35 precision munitions on the targets.

The strikes were the 15th Israeli operation against the Houthis in Yemen since January. Most were carried out by the IAF, though two involved the Israeli Navy, including one earlier this month.

Defense Minister Katz said Israel would continue to impose “an air and naval blockade” and vowed that “for every missile they launch at Israel, the Houthis will pay many times over.”

Ongoing Houthi Threat

The Houthis have fired more than 70 ballistic missiles and at least 23 drones toward Israel since March, according to the IDF. The group’s attacks resumed in March after a brief ceasefire, which had halted their operations during Israel’s truce with Hamas earlier this year.

The group’s slogan — “Death to America, Death to Israel, a Curse on the Jews” — underscores its alignment with Iran’s regional strategy. The Houthis also continue to threaten international shipping lanes in the Red Sea.

Netanyahu said Israel’s response sends a clear message: “Whoever attacks us, we will attack him. Whoever plans to attack us — we attack him. I think the entire region is learning Israel’s strength and determination.”

Reporting contributed by Worthy News staff and wire services.

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