Iran-backed Houthi rebels reported on Saturday that a series of U.S. airstrikes on territory they control, including the Yemeni capital Sanaa, resulted in injuries to at least eight individuals. The Houthi-controlled Saba news agency cited the health ministry of the Houthi administration, stating that the wounded included two children, following attacks on a residential district west of Al-Rawda.
Witnesses in Sanaa confirmed hearing explosions earlier in the day, indicating heightened military activity in the region. The Houthis also claimed that strikes had occurred in other locations, notably in their stronghold of Saada in northern Yemen. They reported additional damage to the fuel port of Ras Issa in the western Hodeida region, which they allege was targeted just over a week ago, leading to the deaths of 80 individuals.
Aligning themselves with Iran’s “axis of resistance,” the Houthis have positioned themselves as defenders of Gaza amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. They have frequently launched missiles and drones at Israel and other targets, including cargo vessels traversing the crucial Red Sea trade route.
The U.S. military has been conducting operations against Houthi positions since January 2024, framing these strikes as necessary actions against what they describe as “Iran-backed Houthi terrorists.” The pace of U.S. attacks has noticeably intensified since the beginning of the Trump administration, with almost daily strikes reported over the past month.
On the same day, the Houthis claimed to have launched a missile and two drones toward Israel. The Israeli military confirmed intercepting a missile from Yemen and a drone originating from the east. In response, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) shared footage of operations involving the aircraft carriers Harry S. Truman and Carl Vinson as they conducted strikes against Houthi targets.
As tensions in the region continue to escalate, the implications of these military confrontations are significant not just for Yemen, but for broader geopolitical dynamics involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.
