The Japan Times - Israeli strikes kill 9 in Yemen's rebel-held capital: Huthis

AFP correspondents heard explosions and saw plumes of smoke rising from three locations in the Sanaa area, in the latest retaliatory attack since the Huthis began targeting Israel in the wake of the Gaza war.

Israeli forces hit several Huthi-linked targets in the rebel-held capital, Israeli officials said, warning of more attacks to come. Huthi media said the targets included a detention facility.

The Israeli military later said "a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted", with sirens blaring in central Israel.

Rescuers in Yemen were still searching for victims of Israeli strikes, which left "nine martyrs and 174 wounded", Huthi health ministry spokesman Anees Alasbahi said in an updated toll on X.

The Huthis' Al-Masirah television channel, citing a security source, said Israel "targeted one of the (security and intelligence) service's correctional facilities, which houses a number of prisoners and detainees".

Al-Masirah earlier said that a power station and two residential neighbourhoods had been targeted, sharing pictures that showed low-rise buildings with bombed-out windows.

One picture showed twisted metal and pieces of concrete filling the street as people looked on, with another photo showing people on the roof of a badly damaged building.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the strikes "dealt a powerful blow to numerous terror targets of the Huthi terror organisation in Sanaa".

They hit "several military camps... eliminated dozens of Huthi terror operatives, and destroyed stockpiles of UAVs (drones) and weaponry", Katz said on X.

The Israeli military said the targets included the Huthis' general staff headquarters, as well as other security and intelligence sites including some used to store weapons and "plan and execute" attacks on Israel.

It added that the rebels' "military public relations headquarters" was also targeted.

The military statement warned Israel would "conduct additional offensive operations against the Huthi regime in the near future".

- Failed interception -

The Israeli strikes on Sanaa came moments before Al-Masirah began broadcasting rebel leader Abdul Malik al-Huthi's weekly pre-recorded speech.

The impact sites were cordoned off, an AFP correspondent said. The Huthi authorities have previously warned Yemenis against publishing footage of locations hit in strikes, describing it as "a service to the enemy".

On Wednesday, a drone attack claimed by the Huthis struck the southern Israeli tourist resort of Eilat after failed attempts by Israel's air defences to intercept it.

Rescuers reported 22 wounded including two in serious condition.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Katz warned of a severe response.

The Iran-backed Huthi rebels began targeting Israel with missiles and drones, as well as attacking vessels they deem linked to the country, after the 2023 start of the Gaza war.

The Huthis say they act in solidarity with Palestinians.

Israel in response has carried out strikes in Yemen, mainly targeting infrastructure such as ports, power stations and Sanaa's international airport.

In August, Israel assassinated the head of the Huthi government Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi together with other senior officials.

Israeli strikes killed 46 people earlier this month, according to Huthi authorities.

The dead include journalists working for the September 26 and al-Yaman newspapers, who were killed in an attack on Sanaa that targeted the Huthi's military media operation.

K.Yoshida--JT