Israeli Airstrikes Target Houthis in Yemen, Resulting in Civilian Casualties

Tue Oct 21 2025 05:35:04 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a significant military response, Israel conducted extensive airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, leading to the deaths of eight individuals and sparking condemnation from the Houthi government.

Israeli military forces performed their most intense airstrike in Yemen on September 25, targeting Houthi military and intelligence assets in Sanaa. The operation reportedly resulted in eight fatalities and 142 injuries, some being civilians. The strikes were a response to ongoing Houthi drone and missile attacks against Israel, with tensions remaining high since the onset of conflict in Gaza in October 2023. The Houthi-run health ministry labeled the attacks a 'brutal crime,' while Israel defended its actions, promising to continue operations against the Houthi regime.

The Israeli military says its air force has carried out its most powerful strike in Yemen in response to the Houthi movement's repeated drone and missile attacks on Israel.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that dozens of its aircraft bombed targets belonging to the Houthis' security and intelligence services, and military in the capital, Sanaa.

The Houthi-run government's health ministry condemned what it referred to as Israel's brutal crime, reporting that eight people were killed, including civilians, and that residential buildings were struck.

This military action followed a Houthi drone attack on the Israeli Red Sea resort of Eilat, which injured 22 individuals, two of them seriously.

The Houthis, who have controlled large parts of north-western Yemen for nearly a decade, had initiated attacks against Israel and international shipping soon after the Gaza conflict escalated in October 2023, claiming they were acting in solidarity with Palestinians.

Israel has conducted several rounds of airstrikes in Yemen as retaliation for Houthi missile and drone assaults targeting the nation.

Videos from Sanaa showed significant smoke plumes rising from at least three locations in the city post-strike, coinciding with a scheduled speech by Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz declared via social media that the strikes targeted multiple Houthi terror assets in Sanaa. The IDF confirmed their operations would persist against the perceived threats posed by the Houthis.

Health ministry spokesman Dr. Anees al-Asbahi asserted that the attacks were a deliberate attempt to target civilians, labelling it a heinous war crime. The ongoing search for casualties beneath the rubble continues, amidst heightened tensions and spiraled violence in the region.