Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
In a dramatic escalation of cross-border hostilities, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Sunday that Israeli forces have destroyed the presidential palace in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, as part of a series of airstrikes targeting the Houthi movement, also known as “Ansar Allah.”
The strikes reportedly targeted key infrastructure sites, including fuel depots and electrical stations in Sanaa. Katz stated that the attacks were a direct response to what he described as “ongoing Houthi aggression,” particularly missile attacks launched toward Israeli territory.
“We are striking infrastructure used to support Houthi terrorism,” Katz said in an official statement. “For every missile launched at Israel, the Houthis will pay double the price.”
He also confirmed that Israel would maintain an air and naval blockade on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, describing it as part of a broader campaign to “degrade the group’s military capabilities and disrupt its regional influence.”
Netanyahu: Houthis Are Paying a Heavy Price
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed Katz’s message, declaring that the Houthi leadership is “learning the hard way” that attacks on Israel carry severe consequences.
“The Houthi regime is paying a heavy price for its aggression against Israel,” Netanyahu said. “Whoever attacks us, we strike back. Whoever plans to attack us, we act preemptively.”
He added that Israel’s actions are sending a clear message across the region. “The entire region now sees the strength and resolve of the State of Israel. The Houthis have received a harsh lesson, and they will continue to pay the price for their hostility.”
Israel launched airstrikes on the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, targeting what it described as “military infrastructure” belonging to the Houthi movement. The strikes mark a significant escalation in cross-border hostilities between Israel and the Iran-aligned group based in northern Yemen.
According to a statement from Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee, the targets included a military complex housing the presidential palace, the Haziz and Asar power stations, and a fuel storage facility. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated the strikes were in response to recent missile attacks launched from Yemeni territory.
In turn, Houthi authorities in Sana’a confirmed that several sites were hit, including a fuel station operated by the Yemeni Oil Company on 60th Street and the Haziz power station located in the southern outskirts of the capital. The group reported significant destruction and a widespread power outage following the attack.
In a preliminary casualty report, the Houthis stated that two civilians were killed and 35 others injured. Civil defense teams and emergency responders have since been working to extinguish fires and search for additional victims beneath the rubble, according to local sources.
The strikes come just days after Israel accused the Houthis of launching a missile equipped with a cluster munitions warhead, a first in the ongoing confrontation between the two sides. The missile, which was reportedly intercepted before reaching its target, is said to resemble weapons used by Iran during its 12-day conflict with Israel earlier in 2024.
Since the beginning of Israel’s war in Gaza in October 2023, the Houthi movement has repeatedly declared its support for Palestinians, launching a series of missile and drone attacks on Israel and targeting commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea. The group claims these operations are acts of solidarity with Gaza.
In response, Israel has conducted multiple strikes on Houthi-controlled territory, including high-value infrastructure such as the strategic Red Sea port of Hodeidah, a critical lifeline for humanitarian aid and commercial imports to Yemen.
The latest exchange raises fears of broader regional escalation, as Israel continues to confront proxy forces aligned with Iran in multiple arenas, from Lebanon’s Hezbollah in the north, to Iranian-backed militias in Syria and Iraq, and now the increasingly active Houthis in Yemen.
While the full scope of damage from the recent airstrikes is still being assessed, the incident marks another flashpoint in the widening arc of Middle East conflict, deepening Yemen’s already devastating humanitarian crisis and entrenching it further into the region’s geopolitical struggle.
