Israel strikes kill eight in Yemen's rebel-held capital

Israel struck Yemen's capital Sanaa on Thursday, killing at least eight people and wounding more than 140, Yemen's Houthis said, a day after the rebels launched a drone attack on southern Israel.

Israeli forces struck several Houthi-linked targets in the rebel-held capital, Israeli officials said, warning of more attacks to come. Houthi media said the targets included a detention facility.

AFP correspondents in Sanaa heard explosions and saw plumes of smoke rising from three locations in the Sanaa area, in the latest retaliatory attack since the Houthis began targeting Israel in the wake of the Gaza war.

Houthi health ministry spokesman Anees Alasbahi said in a post on X that the tally "rose to eight martyrs and 142 wounded", adding that rescuers were still searching for victims under the rubble.

The Houthis' Al-Masirah television channel said, citing a security source, that Israel "targeted one of the (security and intelligence) service's correctional facilities, which houses a number of prisoners and detainees".

Al-Masirah earlier said that a power station and two residential neighbourhoods had been targeted, sharing pictures that showed low-rise buildings with bombed-out windows.

One picture showed twisted metal and pieces of concrete filled the street as people looked on, with another photo showing people on the roof of a badly damaged building.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a post on X that Israel had "dealt a powerful blow to numerous terror targets of the Houthi terror organisation in Sanaa".

An Israeli military statement said the targets included the Houthis' general staff headquarters, other security and intelligence sites including some used to store weapons and "plan and execute" attacks on Israel.

It added that the rebels' "military public relations headquarters" was also targeted.

Katz said the Israeli forces had "struck several military camps... eliminated dozens of Houthi terror operatives, and destroyed stockpiles of UAVs (drones) and weaponry".

The military statement said Israel would "conduct additional offensive operations against the Houthi regime in the near future".

Failed interception

Al-Masirah said that a power station and two residential neighbourhoods had been targeted.

The impact sites were cordoned off, an AFP correspondent said. The Houthi authorities have previously warned Yemenis against publishing footage of locations hit in strikes, describing it as "a service to the enemy".

On Wednesday, a drone attack claimed by the Houthis struck the southern Israeli tourist resort of Eilat after failed attempts by Israel's air defences to intercept it.

Rescuers reported 22 wounded including two in serious condition.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Katz warned of a severe response.

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels has been targeting Israel with missiles and drones, as well as attacking vessels they deem linked to the country, for almost two years in retaliation for Israel's assault on Gaza.

Israel in response has carried out strikes in Yemen, mainly targeting infrastructure such as ports, power stations and Sanaa's international airport.

In August, Israel assassinated the head of the Houthi government Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi together with other senior officials.

Earlier this month, Israeli strikes killed 46 people, according to Houthi authorities.

The dead include as many as 31 journalists working for the 26 September and al-Yaman newspapers, who were killed in an attack on Sanaa that targeted the Houthi's military media operation.

(AFP and TNA staff)