Israeli airstrikes pound Yemen’s capital Sanaa after Houthi cluster missile fired at Israel

Explosions were heard in central Sanaa on Sunday after Israeli airstrikes struck targets in the city, according to Al-Masirah, the television channel run by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The station described the incident as an “aggression on the capital Sanaa” but gave no further details.

A Houthi security source told AP the air raid “targeted a municipality building in central Sanaa,” adding that there were “reports of casualties.” Local residents told Reuters the strikes also hit near the presidential complex and missile bases.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

Retaliation for cluster missile launch

The strikes came two days after the Houthis fired a cluster missile toward Israel, a weapon designed to release multiple explosives. An Israeli Air Force official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military regulations, said: “It was the first time the Iranian-sponsored Houthi rebels had launched a cluster bomb at Israel since 2023.”

The official added that the use of such munitions was a “new threat,” since cluster warheads are harder to intercept and also point to “additional technology provided to the Houthis by Iran.”

Israel’s Maariv newspaper reported that similar attacks took place in Hodeidah, a key Red Sea port city under Houthi control.

Long-running pattern of attacks

The Houthis, who are supported by Iran, have been targeting Israel with missiles and drones since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023. They argue their actions are in solidarity with Palestinians. For more than 22 months, the group has also attacked commercial ships in the Red Sea.

Most of the projectiles fired towards Israel have been intercepted before impact. But their frequency has pushed Israel to hit back. On 17 August, Israel said its jets targeted an energy infrastructure site in Sanaa. At the time, Al-Masirah reported that the Haziz power station in the capital had been struck.

Sunday’s strike was the first reported attack on Sanaa since then.

While the Houthis’ direct strikes on Israel rarely cause damage, their growing capabilities have widened the scope of the war beyond Gaza. Each new type of weapon increases pressure on Israel to respond. The use of cluster munitions represents a significant shift, suggesting more sophisticated backing from Tehran.

The strikes on Sanaa highlight how the war in Gaza continues to ripple across the region, drawing in actors far from the original battlefield.