Update News Headlines: Israel launches latest attacks against Houthis in Yemen’s Sanaa (Reports)

Sanaa, Yemen / Jerusalem — Israel carried out fresh airstrikes against targets in Yemen’s Houthi-controlled capital on Thursday, marking the second strike on Sanaa in less than a week and escalating a fast-moving front tied to wider regional tensions. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it hit a “Houthi terrorist regime military target” in the Sanaa area; Houthi media and officials accused Israel of striking civilian sites. Immediate casualty figures from Thursday’s barrage were not confirmed at press time. (Al Jazeera, AP News, France 24)

The raids follow a deadly round of strikes on August 24, when Israeli munitions detonated across parts of the capital. Local health officials at the time reported at least six to ten people killed and dozens injured, while Israel said it struck military infrastructure in retaliation for missiles and drones launched toward Israel. Smoke plumes and fireballs were documented by residents and wire photographers in multiple districts. (Reuters)

What happened on Thursday — and what each side is saying

Israel’s account: The IDF stated it struck a Houthi “military target” around Sanaa, part of a broader campaign to deter and degrade Houthi capabilities used against Israel and shipping in the Red Sea region. Military spokespeople did not initially provide details on the precise target set or damage assessment. (France 24)
Houthi claims: Houthi-run outlets and officials alleged the new wave hit areas near civilian infrastructure and residential neighborhoods, insisting Israel’s campaign aims to punish Yemenis for the group’s declared support for Palestinians. Early Thursday reports from the ground described loud explosions and rising smoke columns in western and southern parts of the city. (Al Jazeera)
Casualties: As of publication, no official casualty toll from the latest strikes had been confirmed. Associated Press reporting noted there were no immediate reports of casualties in the first hours after the blasts, while residents recounted quake-like shockwaves. (AP News)

World News — International Headlines: Israel launches latest attacks against Houthis in Yemen’s Sanaa (Reports Ai) Image

A second strike in a week: the August 24–28 timeline

August 24: Israel conducted multiple strikes in Sanaa. The IDF said targets included a military compound associated with the presidential palace, two power plants, and a fuel storage site. Local health authorities said six to ten people were killed and more than 80–90 wounded. Open-source visuals showed significant fires and smoke over the capital. (Reuters)

August 28: Israel hit Sanaa again, calling it a strike on a Houthi “military target.” Houthi media reported blasts across the capital; residents in different neighborhoods reported hearing multiple detonations. As of early coverage, no confirmed casualty count had emerged. (Al Jazeera, France 24, AP News)

Reports of a leadership “decapitation” strike — still unconfirmed

In the wake of Thursday’s operation, Israeli media and some international outlets carried unconfirmed claims that the IDF targeted a gathering of senior Houthi figures, including the group’s defense minister and chief of staff; some reports went further, alleging the Houthi prime minister was killed. Israeli Army Radio and several newsrooms reported Israel was awaiting confirmation of outcomes. Houthi officials publicly denied leadership casualties. As of now, no conclusive proof has been provided by either side. (Reuters, The Times of Israel, euronews)

Bottom line: The possibility that Israel attempted a leadership strike is credible enough to be reported as claims, but remains unverified. Readers should expect revisions as more evidence emerges or official confirmations are issued. (Reuters)

Why Sanaa — and why now?

The Houthis (also known as Ansar Allah) have expanded their confrontation with Israel since late 2023, firing missiles and drones toward Israeli territory and attacking or threatening vessels linked to Israel and its partners in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Israel’s calculus has increasingly favored striking Houthi assets inside Yemen when it attributes hostile launches to the group. Thursday’s assault, following the weekend strikes, fits a pattern of punitive raids aimed at deterring further launches and degrading logistics such as fuel, power, and storage sites that could support missile assembly or drone operations.

Regional maritime stakes are central. The Houthis’ campaign has disrupted shipping lanes through the Bab el-Mandeb strait into the Red Sea, triggering higher insurance costs, route diversions, and multinational naval patrols. Even partial interruptions ripple through global trade, including energy flows and container traffic. Israel has framed its actions as part of protecting national security and freedom of navigation in a corridor also patrolled by U.S., U.K., and partner navies.

The August 24 strikes: what we know

Independent and agency coverage from August 24 showed large detonations and towering smoke plumes over Sanaa. The IDF said it hit dual-use or military infrastructure, citing the palace compound and energy-related targets. Local Houthi-run authorities published death and injury tallies, while accusing Israel of war crimes and direct attacks on civilians. Footage verified by multiple outlets captured fireballs near urban zones. Such strikes carry a high risk of collateral damage in a dense capital where military, political, and civilian sites are tightly interwoven.

Thursday’s strikes: emerging details and disputed narratives

Early Thursday updates focused on where explosions were heard rather than what was destroyed. Houthi media mentioned areas in western and southern Sanaa, while Israel’s statement remained intentionally sparse. Some outlets — citing Israeli sources — suggested several locations were hit in rapid succession. Without satellite imagery or official before-and-after disclosures, public assessment of target types and damage remains limited. (ynetnews)

Claims about targeted leaders

What’s being claimed: Israeli Army Radio and several Israeli or European outlets reported that top Houthi officials may have been in the crosshairs, with outcomes pending verification. (Reuters)
What Houthis say: Senior Houthi figures publicly rebutted media claims, asserting that no key leaders were killed and framing the strikes as civilian-focused aggression.
What’s confirmed: As of publication, no government or independent body has presented verifiable evidence confirming leadership fatalities. Readers should treat all such lists of “killed officials” as unconfirmed. (Reuters)

International reaction and diplomatic context

Thursday’s strikes drew swift attention from global newswires and broadcasters, largely underscoring two themes: (1) rapid escalation between Israel and the Houthis; and (2) the spillover effect from the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and related proxy conflicts. European and U.S. outlets emphasized that this was the second Israeli strike in Sanaa within days, a notable tempo against a distant adversary. At the time of writing, formal UN Security Council action specific to Thursday’s strikes was not reported; public diplomatic messaging has so far concentrated on de-escalation and the protection of civilians in urban combat zones, consistent with prior episodes in the Yemen conflict. (Reuters, AP News)

Implications for the Red Sea, Israel’s southern front, and Yemen’s war

Red Sea shipping and insurance: Even modest increases in Houthi launch tempo against Israel or shipping can trigger higher war-risk premiums, longer routes around the Cape of Good Hope, and scheduling chaos for carriers. Thursday’s repeat strike signals that Israel is prepared to act unilaterally beyond previously publicized multinational patrols.
Deterrence vs. entrenchment: Israel’s targeting of fuel, power, and storage — and possibly leadership — seeks to degrade Houthi capacity and raise the cost of attacks on Israel. Yet prior multinational air campaigns have shown that degrading distributed, clandestine networks is difficult, particularly when commanders can disperse and embed within civilian areas. The Houthis have repeatedly declared that strikes on Yemeni soil will not deter operations carried out “in support of Gaza.”
Yemen’s complex humanitarian picture: Sanaa is a densely populated city with strained services after years of war. Striking targets in or near urban infrastructure risks civilian harm and infrastructure disruption, complicating humanitarian response. Competing narratives about military vs. civilian targets are common in this theater and often take days or weeks to clarify with independent verification. (AP News)

What we know, what we don’t

Known:

Israel struck the Sanaa area on August 28, days after a deadly August 24 round. Thursday’s strike is the second in a week. (Reuters)
The IDF describes Thursday’s target as a Houthi military site; Houthi media allege civilian sites were hit. (Al Jazeera)
On August 24, health officials reported multiple fatalities and dozens of injuries; images and video showed large explosions. (Reuters)

Unknown / unverified:

Casualties from Thursday’s strikes remain unclear; early AP reporting noted no immediate figures. (AP News)
Claims that senior Houthi leaders were killed have not been independently confirmed. Israel’s Army Radio said the military was awaiting confirmation, while Houthi officials deny losses. (Reuters)

Background: Houthis vs. Israel since late 2023

The Houthis, an Iran-aligned movement that controls Sanaa and large swaths of northern Yemen, have framed their campaign of missile and drone attacks on Israel and shipping as solidarity with Palestinians. Israel, in turn, has intermittently launched retaliatory strikes inside Yemen, while U.S., U.K., and partner navies have intercepted inbound projectiles and conducted strikes on Houthi launch infrastructure at various points this year. The Houthis’ demonstrated ability to fire long-range munitions and threaten sea lanes has made them a persistent regional disruptor. Thursday’s strike underscores Israel’s willingness to project force over distance when it perceives imminent or recent threats.

On the ground: scenes from Sanaa

Witnesses and local media described a familiar pattern: sirens, sonic booms, and plumes rising above the skyline. Photos from the August 24 attacks showed a destroyed fuel truck, shattered facades, and standing pools of water mixed with debris — indicative of nearby ruptured infrastructure or firefighting response. Residents said the blasts rattled buildings like an earthquake, a description echoed in Thursday’s accounts. The western and southern parts of the city were repeatedly cited in early reporting as bearing the brunt of detonations. (AP News)

Military analysis: what might Israel be targeting?

While the IDF disclosure was terse, recent strikes have tended to fall into a few categories:

Command-and-control nodes: headquarters, safe houses, or meeting locations used by senior cadres. Thursday’s unverified leadership-strike claims fit this template — if confirmed, Israel would be attempting a “decapitation strike” to disrupt planning cycles. (Reuters)
Logistics and enablers: fuel depots, power plants, workshops, and storage sites that can support missile and UAV production or launches. The August 24 strike list lines up with this logic and mirrors previous multinational attempts to constrain Houthi operations by targeting support infrastructure. (Reuters)
Launch and training areas: sites used for missile assembly, drone storage, or launch-prep. These can be highly mobile and hidden, making accurate, time-sensitive targeting essential.

Urban strikes in Sanaa are militarily complicated: dense terrain, civilian proximity, and dual-use facilities raise the risk of noncombatant harm and challenge battle damage assessment (BDA). That helps explain why clear, confirmed details often emerge slowly.

The legal and ethical debate

The competing claims about civilian harm underscore the central legal questions: distinction, proportionality, and military necessity. Israel asserts that Houthi forces embed weapons and command functions among civilian infrastructure, making those assets lawful targets if used for military ends. Houthi authorities accuse Israel of indiscriminate attacks and collective punishment. Without transparent target packets, independent investigators — where access is even possible — typically rely on forensic analysis, satellite imagery, and survivor testimony to assess compliance with international humanitarian law. (Al Jazeera)

Regional watch: signals to Tehran and other proxies

Striking Sanaa twice in a week is a message aimed beyond Yemen. Israel has repeatedly warned that Iran-aligned groups using standoff weapons will be met with direct retaliation, whether in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, or Yemen. If Thursday’s operation did attempt to hit senior Houthi leadership, it would suggest high-confidence intelligence and improved targeting reach, with implications for deterrence across the network of Iran-backed militias. That said, leadership-strike efficacy depends on follow-through: networks often regenerate cadres and adapt tactics after high-profile blows. (Reuters)

What to watch next

Official confirmations: Expect scrutiny of IDF communiqués, Houthi statements, and independent verification regarding alleged leadership casualties. Early reporting says Israel was awaiting confirmation; that status may change. (Reuters)
Launch tempo from Yemen: New Houthi missile or drone attempts against Israel or shipping could follow, testing Israel’s deterrence claim.
Shipping advisories: Changes in maritime security warnings, insurance rates, or convoy patterns through Bab el-Mandeb will signal how industry reads the risk curve.
Humanitarian assessments: Updates from hospitals and NGOs in Sanaa may clarify civilian impact and infrastructure damage from both sets of strikes. (AP News)

focus: key facts & background at a glance

Headline: Israel launches latest attacks against Houthis in Yemen’s Sanaa (Reports)
Dateline: Sanaa/Jerusalem, Aug. 28, 2025
Core facts:
- Second Israeli strike on Sanaa in under a week. (Reuters)
- IDF says it hit a Houthi military target; Houthis say civilian areas were struck. (Al Jazeera)
- Casualties Thursday: Unconfirmed as of initial reporting; August 24 strikes killed at least six to ten and wounded dozens. (Reuters)
- Leadership-strike claims: Unverified; Israel said it was awaiting confirmation; Houthis deny. (Reuters)
Context: Houthis have launched missiles and drones at Israel and threatened shipping; Israel has responded with long-range strikes into Yemen.

Sources and further reading

Reuters live & spot reports confirming two Sanaa strikes within a week and detailing casualty figures from Aug. 24; follow-ups on targeted officials still awaiting confirmation. (Reuters)
Associated Press on Thursday’s strikes with no immediate casualty reports and resident testimony. (AP News)
Al Jazeera coverage of Aug. 28 claims and Aug. 24 impact visuals, including Houthi denials of leadership losses. (Al Jazeera)
France 24, Guardian, and Euronews summaries of targets and casualty ranges reported by local officials and agencies. (France 24)
Times of Israel and other outlets carrying unconfirmed details about a possible decapitation strike on Houthi leadership. Treat these as claims pending verification. (The Times of Israel)

Editor’s note

This article aggregates verified facts and attributed claims from multiple reputable outlets. Some assertions, especially regarding leadership casualties, remain unconfirmed and are labeled accordingly. We will update this piece as official confirmations or independent verifications emerge. (Reuters)