Israeli airstrikes struck Yemen's capital on Sunday, targeting areas across Sanaa just days after Houthis launched a missile toward Israel, the Iran-backed group said. The Houthi media office reported that the strikes hit several locations, including a power plant and a gas station. Residents said explosions rattled neighborhoods near the presidential palace, a closed military academy, and Sabeen Square, a central gathering point in the city. "The house was rocked, and the windows were shattered," resident Ahmed al-Mekhlafy told The Associated Press by phone. Another resident, Hussein Mohamed, said the sound of the blasts was "very strong." Israel did not immediately confirm the strikes. Last week, Israel said it hit energy infrastructure in Yemen used by the Houthis, who have escalated cross-border attacks in solidarity with Palestinians amid the Gaza war. Houthi deputy media chief Nasruddin Amer vowed the strikes would not deter the group. "Our military operations supporting Gaza won't stop unless the aggression is stopped, and the siege is lifted," he wrote on social media. The escalation follows the Houthis' first use of a cluster munition missile against Israel on Friday. Israel's military said the projectile fragmented mid-air after multiple interception attempts, calling it a new threat supplied by Iran. For nearly two years, the Houthis have targeted Israel with missiles and drones while striking commercial vessels in the Red Sea, disrupting about $1 trillion worth of annual global trade. The group halted attacks briefly during a ceasefire but has since resumed operations, prompting repeated Israeli and U.S. air campaigns. In May, Israeli strikes destroyed Sanaa's airport terminal in a rare daytime attack, damaging several passenger planes and cratering the runway. — Agencies
