Israeli Airstrikes on Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Kill 46, Leave Families Living in Ruins
ADEN, Yemen, Sept 13 (VoM): Israeli airstrikes targeting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen this week have left widespread devastation in the capital, Sanaa, destroying homes, killing civilians, and forcing families to live in the rubble without government assistance.
According to figures released late Thursday by the rebel-run health ministry, 46 people were killed, including 11 women and five children, while 165 others were wounded in Wednesday’s strikes. Rebel officials also confirmed that 11 local journalists were among the dead.
The strikes came after Houthi forces launched a drone that breached Israel’s air defenses and struck a southern Israeli airport, injuring one person.
Targets hit by Israel included a military headquarters, a fuel station in Sanaa, and a government facility in Jawf province, rebels said. Yemen’s National Museum also sustained damage, with footage showing cracks and destruction on its façade.
In Sanaa’s impoverished neighborhoods, residents are left struggling. Dozens of homes were destroyed in the Tahrir district, leaving families homeless or living in partially collapsed buildings.
“Everything was lost in the blink of an eye,” said Um Talal, a mother of three whose house was torn apart by the strikes. “Authorities haven’t even called us to this day. We’ll fix what we can and keep living here.”
Another resident, Ahmed Al-Wasabi, said his family narrowly escaped after an airstrike damaged their home while they were away. Nearby shopkeeper Khaled Al-Dabeai described scenes of panic: “Children and women were crying and screaming. The explosions were so strong they knocked products off my shelves.”
Israel has repeatedly carried out airstrikes in Yemen, citing retaliation for the Houthis’ missile and drone attacks launched toward Israel and commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis, who claim to be acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, have been carrying out such operations for nearly two years.
On Wednesday, Houthi leader Mahdi Al-Mashat vowed to continue attacks against Israel, warning, “Stay alarmed, since the response is coming for sure.”
The latest escalation highlights the growing regional fallout from the war in Gaza, leaving Yemeni civilians to bear the brunt of destruction with little hope of relief.