On September 10, 2025, the war in Gaza cast its long and deadly shadow over Yemen, as Israeli airstrikes pounded Houthi-controlled areas in the capital Sanaa and the northern province of al-Jawf. The aftermath was grim: at least 46 people lost their lives—including 11 women and five children—and 165 more were wounded, according to Yemen’s Houthi-run Health Ministry, as reported by multiple international outlets including Arab News and the Associated Press.
These strikes, which occurred just a day before the ministry released its casualty report, are the latest and most severe escalation in a series of tit-for-tat exchanges between Israel and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The violence underscores how the conflict in Gaza has reverberated across the region, dragging in actors far from the original front lines and multiplying the suffering of civilians already battered by years of war and deprivation.
The September 10 airstrikes were not the first time Israel has targeted Yemen. Just weeks earlier, on August 30, Israeli warplanes struck at the heart of the Houthi government in Sanaa, killing several senior officials—including the group’s prime minister. That strike marked a dramatic shift, as it was the first time Israel had directly targeted high-ranking figures in the Houthi administration, according to Xinhua and corroborated by Arab News.
Israel’s military described the most recent strikes as a direct response to what they called “attacks led by the Houthi terror regime” against Israeli targets. Hours before the airstrikes, the Israeli military reported intercepting two launches from Yemen: one missile and one drone. The Houthis quickly claimed responsibility, framing their actions as retaliation for Israeli military operations in Gaza and as acts of solidarity with Palestinians there. “Stay alarmed since the response is coming for sure,” Houthi leader Mahdi Al-Mashat warned Israelis in a statement carried by Arab News.
For residents of Sanaa, the consequences of this regional power struggle have been immediate and devastating. The airstrikes not only claimed lives but also left dozens of homes in ruins, especially in the city’s central Tahrir area. The National Museum of Yemen was damaged, its façade scarred by the blasts, according to the Houthi culture ministry. In addition to residential neighborhoods, a military headquarters, a fuel station in Sanaa, and a government facility in Hazm, the capital of northern Jawf province, were also hit.
Among the dead were 11 local journalists, a tragic reminder of the risks faced by those documenting Yemen’s ongoing turmoil. The Houthi-run health ministry released its toll late Thursday, emphasizing that most casualties were in Sanaa. The Associated Press reported that families have been left to pick up the pieces on their own, with many unable to afford repairs and no compensation or assistance forthcoming from local authorities.
“Everything was lost in the blink of an eye,” said Um Talal, a resident of Sanaa whose home was severely damaged in the strike. “Authorities haven’t even called us to this day.” She told the Associated Press that, despite the destruction, her family would try to repair what they could and continue living in their battered home. Another resident, Ahmed Al-Wasabi, said he and his family were fortunate not to be home when an airstrike partially destroyed their house. Khaled Al-Dabeai, a local grocery shop owner, described scenes of panic: “The explosions terrified people who went running and children and women were crying and screaming.” The force of the blasts even knocked products off his shelves.
For nearly two years, the Houthis have launched missiles and drones toward Israel and targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians amid the war in Gaza. Israel, in turn, has responded with waves of airstrikes, including attacks on the strategically vital Hodeidah port—a key entry point for goods and humanitarian aid into Yemen. The cycle of attack and retaliation has deepened Yemen’s misery, compounding the effects of a civil war that has already left the country impoverished and its infrastructure in tatters.
Internationally, the strikes have drawn condemnation and renewed calls for restraint. The United Nations and several Western governments have urged all parties to respect the laws of war and protect civilians. The humanitarian crisis in Yemen, already described by aid agencies as among the world’s worst, has only worsened as a result of the ongoing violence. With local authorities unable or unwilling to provide assistance, many families are left to fend for themselves amid the rubble.
The broader context is inescapable: the war in Gaza continues to ignite regional tensions, drawing in actors like the Houthis who see themselves as part of a wider struggle against Israel. The Houthis have repeatedly stated that their attacks are a direct response to Israeli actions in Gaza and a show of support for Hamas and the Palestinian people. According to Arab News, Al-Mashat vowed to continue these attacks, warning that “the response is coming for sure.”
Israel, for its part, has made clear that it views the Houthi attacks as a serious threat, especially after a Houthi drone managed to breach its multilayered air defenses and strike a southern Israeli airport, injuring one person and blowing out glass windows. This incident, which preceded the September 10 airstrikes, underscored the reach of the Houthis’ arsenal and the risks of escalation.
Despite the devastation, many in Sanaa express a sense of resignation. Years of conflict have left residents skeptical that authorities—whether Houthi or otherwise—will come to their aid. The lack of government support, even as families struggle to repair their homes and mourn their dead, has deepened feelings of abandonment. For many, survival now depends on their own resourcefulness and the support of neighbors, rather than any hope of official assistance.
The strikes have also highlighted the dangers faced by journalists and aid workers in Yemen. With 11 journalists killed in the latest round of attacks, the ability to document the conflict and its human toll has been severely compromised. Aid agencies warn that without security and access, it will become even harder to deliver much-needed relief to those most affected.
As the dust settles over Sanaa and al-Jawf, the people of Yemen are left to grapple with yet another tragedy in a war that shows no sign of ending. For them, the conflict in Gaza is not a distant headline—it is a daily reality, bringing destruction and loss to their doorsteps. The cycle of violence between Israel and the Houthis threatens to pull Yemen even deeper into crisis, with civilians paying the highest price.
In the end, the latest strikes serve as a stark reminder that in this region’s tangled conflicts, the boundaries between wars are porous, and their consequences are borne most heavily by those with the least power to shape them.