Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
A series of powerful explosions rocked the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, in the early hours of Thursday morning, following a wave of Israeli airstrikes targeting key Houthi military and intelligence facilities. The attacks mark a significant escalation in the ongoing tensions between Israel and the Iran-backed Houthi movement, which has recently increased its hostile activities against the Israeli state.
According to Israeli Defense Minister Katz, the strikes were part of a broader operation dubbed “Cross Expulsion” a direct response to repeated Houthi drone and missile attacks aimed at Israeli territory. “We have just dealt a strong blow to multiple terrorist targets belonging to the Houthi terrorist organization in Sana’a,” Katz announced in a statement. “As I said yesterday: whoever harms us will be struck seven times over.”
The Israeli military reported that dozens of fighter jets and other aerial units carried out coordinated raids on what it described as high-value Houthi targets. These included the headquarters of the Houthi General Command, military camps used for weapons storage and operational planning, and complexes belonging to the group’s intelligence and security apparatus.
Among the key sites targeted were:
- The Command and Control Center of the Houthi General Staff
- Security and Intelligence Directorate complexes linked to Houthi leadership
- The Houthi Military Media Directorate
- Camps allegedly storing drones, weapons, and other military equipment
Israeli media further reported that the strikes resulted in the deaths of dozens of Houthi militants and caused substantial damage to infrastructure, including weapons depots and drone storage facilities.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the targeted locations were being used not only to store weapons but also to plan and execute attacks against Israel. The Houthis have claimed responsibility in recent months for launching several long-range drones and ballistic missiles toward Israeli territory — actions that have been largely intercepted but have heightened Israel’s sense of regional vulnerability.
The IDF emphasized that the Houthis are operating under direct Iranian funding and strategic guidance, aligning their actions with Iran’s broader regional agenda. “The Houthis are exploiting maritime routes for hostile purposes, including attacks on international shipping lanes,” the military statement added. This appears to be a reference to previous Houthi threats and alleged attacks on commercial vessels passing through the Red Sea and Arabian Sea, which are vital for global trade.
While the Israeli airstrikes mark a new chapter in Israel’s military engagement with the Houthis, officials in Tel Aviv made clear that this is unlikely to be a one-off operation. The military indicated that further offensive actions are being planned and will be launched as necessary.
“The IDF will continue to act forcefully against repeated Houthi aggression and will carry out additional offensive operations soon,” the army said. “Israel remains determined to neutralize any threat to its citizens no matter how far away it originates.”
The attack on Sana’a highlights a growing regional dimension to Israel’s ongoing security concerns, as conflicts with non-state actors like Hamas and Hezbollah are increasingly complemented by threats from farther afield, particularly from groups aligned with Iran.
There was no immediate comment from Houthi officials regarding the scale of the damage or casualties, but the strikes are expected to draw a response from the group, which has previously vowed to continue targeting Israeli interests in what it calls solidarity with Palestinians.
As of Thursday afternoon, the situation in Sana’a remained tense, with local residents reporting continued military overflights and a heightened security presence in areas surrounding the capital.
