Explosions rocked the Yemeni capital of Sanaa on September 25, 2025, as Israeli airstrikes struck several Houthi-controlled targets, leaving at least nine people dead and more than 170 wounded, according to Houthi officials. The strikes, which sent plumes of smoke billowing over three separate sites, marked the latest escalation in a widening conflict that has drawn Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Israel into direct confrontation, with Gaza’s ongoing war as the backdrop.
The Israeli military said its forces hit a range of Houthi-linked sites in Sanaa, including military camps, a detention facility, and the rebels’ general staff headquarters. According to Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, the attacks "dealt a powerful blow to numerous terror targets of the Houthi terror organization in Sanaa." Katz elaborated that the strikes "eliminated dozens of Houthi terror operatives, and destroyed stockpiles of UAVs (drones) and weaponry." The Israeli military further noted that security and intelligence centers, weapons storage facilities, and the Houthis’ "military public relations headquarters" were also among the targets.
AFP correspondents on the ground reported hearing loud explosions and observing significant damage to buildings, with images showing bombed-out windows, twisted metal, and debris-strewn streets. Houthi media, including Al-Masirah television, aired footage that appeared to show a power station and two residential neighborhoods among the damaged sites. One particularly harrowing image depicted people surveying the ruins from the roof of a badly damaged building, while another showed onlookers gathering around a street choked with rubble.
According to Anees Alasbahi, a spokesman for the Houthi health ministry, "nine martyrs and 174 wounded" was the latest toll from the Israeli strikes. Al-Masirah, citing a security source, stated that Israel "targeted one of the (security and intelligence) service’s correctional facilities, which houses a number of prisoners and detainees." The impact sites were quickly cordoned off, with Houthi authorities warning locals not to publish footage of the aftermath, describing such actions as "a service to the enemy."
The strikes came just one day after the Houthis claimed responsibility for a drone attack on Eilat, a southern Israeli resort city. That attack left 22 people wounded, including two in serious condition, after Israel’s air defense systems failed to intercept the drone. Sirens sounded across central Israel as the military reported intercepting a separate missile launched from Yemen during the same period.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Katz both warned of a severe response following the Eilat attack. The Israeli military, in a statement, cautioned that it would "conduct additional offensive operations against the Houthi regime in the near future." For residents of Sanaa, the strikes came moments before Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi’s weekly pre-recorded speech was broadcast, adding a layer of tension to an already fraught atmosphere.
This cycle of retaliation is rooted in the Houthis’ decision to begin targeting Israel with missiles and drones after the outbreak of the 2023 Gaza war. The Iran-backed rebels have framed their attacks as acts of solidarity with Palestinians, while Israel has responded by striking Houthi-controlled infrastructure, including ports, power stations, and Sanaa’s international airport. The conflict has also spilled over into maritime attacks, with the Houthis targeting vessels they believe are linked to Israel.
The violence has left a heavy toll on both sides. Earlier in September 2025, Israeli strikes killed 46 people in Yemen, according to Houthi authorities. Among the dead were journalists working for the September 26 and al-Yaman newspapers, who were killed in an attack that targeted the Houthis’ military media operation. In August, Israel assassinated Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi, the head of the Houthi government, along with several senior officials.
For the people of Sanaa, the latest round of airstrikes was a grim reminder of the city’s vulnerability. Rescue efforts continued into the day as emergency workers searched for survivors among the rubble. The Houthi health ministry’s updated figures—nine dead and 174 wounded—underscored the human cost of the strikes. Al-Masirah’s coverage, though tightly controlled, offered glimpses of the devastation, with images of destroyed homes and anxious crowds gathering at the scene.
Meanwhile, in Israel, the threat from Yemen is being taken seriously. The failed interception of the drone that struck Eilat has raised concerns about the effectiveness of Israel’s air defenses against long-range attacks. The military’s successful interception of a missile from Yemen on the same day as the Sanaa strikes was little comfort to those wounded in Eilat or to officials wary of further escalation.
The broader context for these attacks remains the ongoing war in Gaza, which has continued to claim lives on a daily basis. On September 26, 2025, updates from the region reported that Israel killed dozens in Gaza, as the conflict showed no sign of abating. Former U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in on the situation, stating that he "thinks" a deal is close regarding the conflict. His comments, reported on September 26, 2025, reflect ongoing international efforts to broker a resolution, though concrete progress has proven elusive.
For many observers, the entanglement of Yemen’s Houthis in the Israel-Gaza conflict is a worrying sign of the war’s potential to spread across the region. The Houthis’ alignment with Iran and their growing arsenal of missiles and drones have made them a formidable force, capable of projecting power far beyond Yemen’s borders. Israel’s willingness to strike targets deep inside Yemen, including high-profile assassinations and attacks on infrastructure, signals a new phase in the conflict—one that could have unpredictable consequences for the Middle East as a whole.
Yet amid the headlines and the political rhetoric, it is ordinary civilians who bear the brunt of the violence. In Sanaa, families mourn the dead and tend to the wounded, while in Eilat, residents recover from the shock of an attack that breached Israel’s vaunted defenses. The cycle of retaliation—drone for airstrike, missile for missile—shows little sign of ending, even as world leaders voice hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough.
As the dust settles over Sanaa and Eilat, the region remains on edge. Each new attack, each retaliatory strike, raises the stakes and deepens the sense of uncertainty. For now, both sides appear determined to press their advantage, leaving civilians caught in the crossfire and the prospect of peace as remote as ever.
