On September 11, 2025, a new wave of violence swept across Yemen as Israeli airstrikes targeted the capital, Sanaa, and the northern province of Al-Jawf, leaving at least 46 people dead and 165 wounded, according to Yemen’s Houthi Health Ministry. The strikes, which also caused significant destruction to the country’s cultural heritage, including the National Museum in Sanaa, mark another escalation in the increasingly entangled conflicts that have gripped the Middle East since the war in Gaza began.
According to Arab News and AP, the airstrikes struck multiple locations in Sanaa, including a military headquarters and a fuel station, resulting in the majority of casualties. The Houthi-run health authorities confirmed that the dead and wounded were mostly in the capital. The attacks also hit the province of Al-Jawf, broadening the scope of destruction and deepening the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, a country already battered by years of civil war and foreign intervention.
The Houthi Ministry of Culture reported that Yemen’s National Museum, a repository of thousands of historical artifacts, was damaged in the strikes. The ministry warned that the status of these artifacts remains unclear, with many at risk of being lost forever. Associated Press photos and video footage showed the museum’s facade scarred by the blasts, a visual testament to the cultural cost of the ongoing hostilities. The ministry called on UNESCO to condemn the attack and intervene to protect the building and its contents, underscoring the vulnerability of Yemen’s heritage amid the crossfire.
Israel’s military justified the airstrikes as a direct response to attacks launched by the Iran-backed Houthi movement. The Houthis have fired missiles and drones toward Israeli territory in recent weeks, actions they describe as acts of solidarity with Hamas and the Palestinians in Gaza. On September 11, the Israeli military intercepted a missile and a drone launched from Yemen, both of which the Houthis claimed responsibility for. "The strikes were carried out in response to attacks led by the Houthi terror regime against the State of Israel, during which unmanned aerial vehicles and surface-to-surface missiles were launched toward Israeli territory," the Israeli military said, as quoted by Arab News.
This latest escalation is part of a broader pattern of tit-for-tat violence that has seen the conflict in Gaza spill over into neighboring countries. The Houthis, who control the most populous regions of Yemen, have repeatedly attacked vessels in the Red Sea and launched projectiles at Israel, further destabilizing an already volatile region. Israel has responded with waves of airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas, including critical infrastructure such as the Hodeidah port.
The September 11 strikes followed an earlier Israeli attack on August 30, 2025, which killed the prime minister of the Houthi-run government and several ministers in Sanaa—the first such assault targeting senior Houthi officials. The cycle of violence has only intensified since then, with both sides showing little sign of backing down.
For ordinary Yemenis, the consequences are devastating. The airstrikes have not only claimed dozens of lives but have also destroyed vital infrastructure and cultural landmarks. The damage to the National Museum is particularly painful for many, as it represents a tangible link to Yemen’s rich and ancient history. The Houthi Ministry of Culture’s call for UNESCO’s intervention highlights the international dimension of the crisis and the urgent need to protect the country’s heritage from further destruction.
The conflict’s roots trace back to the war in Gaza, which erupted after Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has killed over 64,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 163,000, according to Gaza’s health authorities. The violence has triggered a hunger crisis and widespread humanitarian disaster, reducing much of Gaza to rubble and sending shockwaves across the region.
The Houthis’ involvement is driven by their declared support for Hamas and the Palestinians, a stance that has brought them into direct confrontation with Israel. Their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and on Israeli territory are framed as acts of solidarity, but they have also drawn harsh reprisals, further entrenching the conflict.
The humanitarian toll is staggering. In Yemen, the latest airstrikes have compounded an already dire situation, with the country facing chronic shortages of food, medicine, and other essentials. The destruction of cultural sites like the National Museum adds another layer of loss, erasing irreplaceable pieces of the nation’s identity.
Diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation have so far yielded little progress. Qatar’s Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, told the UN Security Council that his country would continue its "humanitarian and diplomatic role without any hesitation, in order to stop the bloodshed." However, ceasefire talks remain fragile and inconclusive, with both sides entrenched in their positions and regional actors struggling to broker lasting peace.
The spillover effects of the conflict are not limited to Yemen. Across the region, countries have been drawn into the fray, either directly or indirectly. The ongoing violence has disrupted trade routes, endangered civilians, and threatened the stability of neighboring states. The Red Sea, a vital artery for global commerce, has become a flashpoint, with attacks on shipping raising fears of a broader regional conflagration.
As of September 11, 2025, the situation remains volatile. Israeli military operations continue in Gaza and now in Yemen, while the Houthis have shown no sign of halting their attacks. The international community faces a daunting challenge: how to protect civilians and cultural heritage while addressing the underlying causes of the conflict. For now, the people of Yemen and Gaza bear the brunt of the violence, their lives and futures hanging in the balance.
In the midst of destruction and uncertainty, the call for peace grows ever more urgent. The damage to Yemen’s National Museum is a stark reminder that war not only claims lives but also erases history, culture, and identity. As the world watches, the hope remains that diplomacy and humanitarian action can prevail over violence and loss.