Israeli airstrikes on the Yemeni capital of Sana sent shockwaves across the region late Thursday, September 25, 2025, marking a dramatic escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia. The strikes, which targeted multiple sites across Sana, left at least eight people dead and 142 wounded, according to the health ministry of Yemen’s Houthi-led government. Rescue workers scrambled through the night to free victims trapped under the rubble, particularly in the densely populated al-Raqas neighborhood, where a three-story residential building was reduced to debris.
Israel’s military confirmed the operation, stating that dozens of air force jets had conducted a “wide wave of airstrikes” against what it described as “Houthi military targets.” Defense Minister Israel Katz declared, “We have just delivered a powerful strike against many terrorist targets,” adding, “As I promised yesterday — those who harm us will be struck sevenfold.” According to the Israeli military, several military camps were among the targets, as well as facilities belonging to the security and intelligence apparatus. The latter, the military claimed, is involved in suppressing regime opponents through the use of political prisons.
Eyewitness accounts painted a harrowing picture of the aftermath. Hamid al-Wusabi, who was about 100 feet from the al-Raqas blast, described the chaos: “When I came out, the rubble of the building filled the place and ambulances were rushing in.” Many, he said, were still trapped as emergency teams worked frantically to save lives.
The Houthi-run state news agency, Saba, reported that one of the strikes hit a detention facility holding prisoners, though the Israeli military did not confirm the specific targeting of a prison. The timing of the airstrikes coincided with a televised speech by Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, further amplifying the sense of crisis in the city.
This latest Israeli operation came just one day after a Houthi drone attack on the Israeli city of Eilat wounded 20 people, two of them seriously. Israeli paramedics responded to the scene as the military explained it had attempted to intercept the drone, but the unmanned aircraft managed to evade defenses and strike its target. Later Thursday, air raid sirens again sounded in parts of Israel after a missile was fired from Yemen; the military said it successfully intercepted the threat.
These events are just the most recent in a series of tit-for-tat attacks between Israel and the Houthis, a conflict that has steadily intensified over the past year. The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, began targeting Israel and ships linked to Israel in 2023, after the war in Gaza erupted in the wake of Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel. The Houthis frame their actions as solidarity with Palestinians under bombardment in Gaza, though analysts point to a mix of regional ambitions and Iranian influence behind their campaign.
Israel’s response has grown increasingly forceful. After weakening other Iranian-backed groups in the region, Israeli forces have shifted their focus to the Houthis, launching a series of punishing strikes on Yemeni ports, infrastructure, and now, the capital itself. Last month, an Israeli airstrike in Sana killed senior members of the Houthi-led government, including Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi, though the group’s core military leadership reportedly survived. Human rights organizations have raised alarms over the civilian toll from these operations, with dozens killed or wounded in recent months.
The United States has also entered the fray, launching its own strikes in Yemen in response to Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping. The Houthis claim their targets are connected to Israel, but in several cases, the links have been unclear or disputed. According to the Palestine Chronicle, Ansarallah (the Houthi movement) vowed to continue operations in support of Gaza following the latest Israeli bombardment.
The regional implications of these clashes are profound. Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), warned that “the catastrophic situation” in occupied Palestine “threatens the entire region.” Since October 7, 2023, Israeli military operations in Gaza have reportedly killed 65,549 people and injured 167,518, the majority women and children, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza. The World Health Organization added its voice to the chorus of concern, stating that Gaza’s health system is on the verge of collapse, with four hospitals forced to shut down since September 1, 2025, and more than 15,000 wounded in urgent need of medical evacuation.
Meanwhile, the fighting in Gaza and the West Bank shows no sign of abating. On Thursday night, Israeli forces raided Al-Khader town and the Dheisheh refugee camp south of Bethlehem, though no arrests were reported. In Gaza itself, Israeli warplanes carried out multiple strikes, including five on Al-Shati refugee camp and two on Al-Nasr neighborhood, as reported by Palestinian media. The Palestine Chronicle also documented resistance operations, including footage released by the Al-Qassam Brigades showing the destruction of an Israeli Merkava tank in Tel al-Hawa, southern Gaza City.
The international community is feeling the strain. US President Donald Trump has reportedly been pressuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach an agreement to end the war in Gaza. Trump stated, “The US is close to reaching an agreement to end the war in Gaza and secure the return of captives.” Yet, according to Israeli Channel 13, Netanyahu remains unconvinced by US proposals, including the idea of an interim international authority in Gaza.
Netanyahu’s recent speech at the UN General Assembly underscored the deep divisions. He claimed victory over Iran, defended Israel’s assault on Gaza, and rejected the establishment of a Palestinian state—asserting that “90% of Israelis oppose a state” and labeling international recognition of Palestine as “encouragement of killing Jews.” His address was met with walkouts from several national delegations, and Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized the speech as worsening Israel’s political crisis, saying the prime minister failed to offer any real plan for returning captives or ending the conflict.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is increasingly dire. Oxfam has called for Israel to be held accountable for the deaths of nearly 1,600 humanitarian and medical workers since the war began. The World Health Organization has repeatedly stressed the urgent need for a ceasefire to allow aid to reach those in need, particularly as malnutrition and disease spread. Hospitals report that even basic blood tests are unavailable, putting hundreds of thousands of patients at risk.
In the broader diplomatic arena, new initiatives are emerging. Saudi Arabia announced a $90 million commitment to the Palestinian Authority as part of an international coalition to support Palestinian governance. Egypt’s foreign minister expressed openness to the deployment of international forces in Gaza under a UN Security Council mandate, aiming to assist in the administration of the enclave once the fighting ends.
As the dust settles over Sana and Gaza, the immediate future remains uncertain. The region stands at a dangerous crossroads, with the risk of wider war growing alongside the mounting toll on civilians. For now, the cycle of violence continues, with each new strike threatening to pull more players into the fray and deepen the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding on multiple fronts.
