Sanaa (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Israeli defence forces announced that they had struck an energy infrastructure site that was operated and utilised by Houthis south of the Yemeni capital Sanaa early on Sunday, with reports revealing that the Haziz power station had been attacked.
The Israel military stated that the strikes were a reaction to multiple attacks by the Houthis, including missile and drone launches targeting Israel. The US and the UK have also previously conducted attacks against the Houthis in Yemen.
Why did Israel target the Haziz power station?
Israeli media noted earlier that the Israeli navy carried out the attack on the Haziz power station near the capital. A military statement stated Israeli forces “struck… deep inside Yemen, targeting an energy infrastructure site that served the Huthi terrorist regime” in the region of Houthi-held capital Sanaa, without calling the area.
How did the Houthis respond to the Israeli strike?
Houthi-operated Al Masirah TV said that the ‘aggression’ enabled an attacking force to disable some of the power station’s generators. Al Masirah also claimed multiple teams contained the fire. No immediate casualties have been reported. Residents reported hearing at least two explosions earlier in Sanaa.
Israel has escalated airstrikes targeting Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen in retaliation for an ongoing barrage of rockets and drones launched by the Houthis at Israel. Since October 2023, Houthis in Yemen have engaged in missile and drone launches in the direction of Israel. The Houthis claim that they are launching these missions as a show of solidarity to fellow Palestinians undergoing military war in Gaza and protests against Israeli operations against them.
How has Israel expanded strikes beyond Gaza and Lebanon?
Israel has expanded its strikes from Gaza and Lebanon to Yemen. They aim to deny the Houthis of their military logistics capabilities. Their major strikes have destroyed ports (Hodeidah, Ras Isa, As-Salif), power plants (Ras Qantib, Haziz), and Houthi-held oil terminals and infrastructure needed to facilitate the import of weapons and command.
What happened during the major Israeli air raid on 5 May?
In one of the most significant attacks on 5 May 2025, over 30 Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked nine Houthi targets using approximately fifty munitions. Significant targets were the al-Imran cement factory east of Hodeidah; four killed, 42 wounded. This tiger was in direct response to a Houthi missile impacting Ben Gurion Airport the day prior.
