Nine killed as Israeli air force strikes Sanaa in Yemen

Strike on Houthi-held capital comes a day after 20 injured in drone attack on Eilat in Israel

Smoke rises from the site of Israeli air strikes in Sanaa. Reuters

The Israeli military carried out air strikes on Yemen's capital Sanaa on Thursday, a day after more than 20 people were injured in a Houthi drone attack on Eilat in Israel.

The Houthi-run Al Masirah TV channel reported “Israeli aggression” targeting the rebel-held capital. The strikes took place while a pre-recorded speech by Houthi leader Abdul Malik Al Houthi was airing.

The Houthi administration said at least nine people were killed and 170 injured. Rescue teams were searching for missing people, officials added.

“We have just delivered a powerful strike on numerous terrorist targets of the Houthi terrorist organisation in Sanaa,” Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said.

Mr Katz said Israeli aircraft “attacked several military camps, including a camp of the Houthi general staff, eliminated dozens of Houthi terrorists, and destroyed stockpiles of [drones] and ammunition”.

“As I promised yesterday, whoever harms us will be harmed sevenfold,” he said.

Separately, the Israeli military said dozens of aircraft had attacked Houthi security and intelligence apparatus in Sanaa.

“The attacks were carried out in response to the attacks led by the Houthi terrorist regime against the state of Israel, in which unmanned aerial vehicles and surface-to-surface missiles were launched."

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he ordered the attack in Yemen while en route to the US. The Israeli government plane took an unusual route, avoiding the airspace of several European countries.

The attack focused on "Houthi command centres and war materiel depots in Sanaa", Mr Netanyahu's office said.

On Wednesday, the Houthis said they launched two drones at targets in the southern city of Eilat. Israeli medics said at least 22 people were injured after a drone breached the country's missile defences.

Houthi drone hits hotel in southern Israel injuring 20

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The Houthis said the launch was “in response to the crimes of genocide and the dangerous escalation carried out by the Israeli enemy in Gaza”.

Drone attacks on Eilat, mostly from Yemen, are common, but injuries are far rarer. The Israeli military said it tried to intercept the drone but did not say why that failed.

Eilat’s airport was struck by a Yemeni projectile last month in an attack claimed by the Houthis.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have regularly fired drones and missiles at Israel – and attacked international shipping – in what they say is support for the Palestinians. The vast majority of the drones and missiles fired at Israel have been shot down or fallen in open areas without wounding anyone.