At least 12 people were killed and 30 wounded in US air strikes on Yemen’s capital Sanaa early Monday, according to the Houthi-run Health Ministry. The bombings reportedly struck a market and residential area in the Farwa district, causing significant civilian casualties. Houthi media also reported that other strikes targeted Attan and a sanitation facility in the Asir area, as well as the Furwah and Shoub neighborhoods.
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Footage broadcast by Houthi-aligned Al Masirah TV showed damaged buildings and vehicles, with wounded residents being rushed to hospitals. The US Central Command has not yet commented on the latest strikes.
Wider Bombing Campaign Targets Houthi Strongholds
The Sanaa raids were part of a broader American offensive that also hit Marib in central Yemen, the western port city of Hodeidah, and Saada in the north—a known Houthi stronghold. Just days earlier, the US launched 13 air strikes on Hodeidah’s port and airport. On Thursday, Washington carried out its deadliest attack yet at the Ras Isa fuel port, killing between 74 and 80 people and injuring over 150, according to various Houthi sources. Since March, more than 200 people have been killed in Houthi-controlled areas, as the US has ramped up strikes under President Donald Trump’s renewed military strategy.
US Says Strikes Meant to Protect Global Trade
The US military claims the strikes are aimed at weakening “Iran-backed Houthi terrorists” who have disrupted commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Since November 2023, the Houthis have launched over 100 drone and missile attacks on vessels they allege are connected to Israel. These actions have paralyzed shipping through the Suez Canal, a vital route for nearly 12% of global trade, forcing many ships to reroute around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope.
Washington began targeting the Houthis in January 2024, but operations have intensified following Trump’s return to office this year. Officials say the current campaign is meant to prevent further attacks on global shipping and deter the group from threatening regional stability.
Houthis Say Attacks Are in Solidarity with Palestinians
The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, claim their maritime attacks are part of a wider show of solidarity with Palestinians and Hamas in Gaza. They briefly paused ship attacks during a two-month Gaza ceasefire earlier this year but resumed once Israel’s assault continued. The group has been a key player in Iran’s regional “Axis of Resistance,” and is currently one of the few remaining forces regularly targeting Israel or Israeli-linked interests.
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UN Secretary General António Guterres expressed “grave concern” over the US bombing campaign and called for restraint. He also urged the Houthis to stop their missile and drone attacks on Israel and shipping routes. Meanwhile, the US has provided little public detail about its air strikes in Yemen, including specific targets or casualty figures, leaving much of the reporting to Houthi-affiliated outlets and international observers.