Daijiworld Media Network - Sanaa
Sanaa, Apr 27: Overnight US airstrikes on Yemen's Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa, killed two people and wounded at least 10 others, according to Houthi-controlled health authorities. The airstrikes targeted multiple locations across the city, with the casualties including two women and three children, all of whom were transferred to local hospitals for treatment.
Houthi-run al-Masirah TV also reported that the US forces launched additional strikes in several northern provinces of Yemen. Among the targets was the Galaxy Leader, a cargo vessel seized by the Houthis in November 2023. The vessel had been involved in attacks on Red Sea shipping linked to Israel. However, no casualties were reported from the strikes on the vessel or the northern provinces.
In a separate development, the Houthis claimed responsibility for launching a missile at Israel’s Negev region, specifically targeting the Negev Air Base in southern Israel. The missile was intercepted by the Israeli military, and sirens were activated in the Arava region and near the Dead Sea. Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service confirmed that no casualties resulted from the missile strike.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea announced that the group had used a "hypersonic ballistic missile" to target the Israeli air base. He emphasized that the Houthis would continue their military operations in support of Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. "Our military operations in support of the Palestinian people will continue until the aggression on Gaza ends and the blockade is lifted," Sarea stated.
These developments come on the heels of last week's US airstrikes on the Ras Isa fuel port in Yemen, which left at least 74 people dead and 171 others injured. The strikes are part of Washington's broader strategy to target the Houthis in response to their ongoing attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and their involvement in strikes against Israel.
The recent US airstrikes coincide with renewed US-Iran negotiations in Rome over Tehran’s nuclear program, which Washington links to the Houthis' actions. As the last militant group in Iran’s self-declared "Axis of Resistance" capable of regularly targeting Israel, the Houthis remain a central focus in the US’s strategy.
Tensions between the Houthis and US forces have escalated since mid-March when Washington resumed airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, a move that has been criticized by several regional governments for potentially destabilizing the region further.