Fireball, Smoke Fill Sky As Israeli Airstrikes Hit Yemen’s Capital After Houthis Launch Missile

Last Updated:August 24, 2025, 21:20 IST

Israeli airstrikes hit Sanaa after Houthi rebels launched a missile toward Israel. Explosions rocked sites like a power plant and gas station.

Screengrab from X.

Israeli airstrikes hit Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, on Sunday, just days after Houthi rebels launched a missile toward Israel, the rebel group said. The attack is the latest escalation in Israel’s strikes against the Iranian-backed Houthis.

According to the Houthi media office, Israeli strikes hit several locations in Sanaa, including a power plant and a gas station. Residents also reported explosions near the presidential palace. These were the first reported strikes in Yemen since last week, when Israel claimed to have targeted Houthi energy infrastructure. Tel Aviv has not immediately confirmed Sunday’s attack.

Videos from the aftermath of the strikes, widely shared on social media, captured scenes of chaos and fear among residents. One clip showed thick plumes of smoke billowing above buildings as panicked voices echoed in the background, while another revealed a fireball erupting between structures at the apparent strike site.

In another clip, a man was seen running down a street as others looked on at the rising smoke with disbelief. Screams and cries of panic could be heard as the missiles rained down on the capital.

News18 could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos.

Residents in Sanaa told The Associated Press they heard explosions near a closed military academy and the presidential palace. Smoke was also spotted rising close to Sabeen Square, a central gathering point in the capital.

“The sound of explosions was very strong,” said Hussein Mohamed, a resident living near the presidential palace.

Ahmed al-Mekhlafy, another resident, described the force of the attack. “The house was rocked, and the windows were shattered,” he told AP by phone.

Sunday’s airstrikes were the first in Yemen since last week, when Israel said it had hit Houthi-controlled energy facilities. However, Israel has not yet confirmed responsibility for the latest attack.

Meanwhile, Houthi officials pledged to press on with their military operations against Israel. Nasruddin Amer, the group’s deputy media chief, said the strikes would not dissuade the rebels.

“No matter how much they bomb, we will not abandon Gaza, and this is a pledge we made to our people in the Strip, and we will not retreat from it as long as there is a drop of blood pulsing in us,” Amer wrote on social media.

Location :

Yemen

Read More

Go to Source