Israeli air raids struck Yemen鈥檚 main airport and power stations in the Sanaa area on Tuesday, Huthi media and Israel鈥檚 military said, the latest retaliation for a missile attack by the Iran-backed rebels.
AFP correspondents in the rebel-held Yemeni capital Sanaa reported hearing several strikes and seeing plumes of smoke rising from areas including the airport.
An Israeli military statement said that 鈥榝ighter jets struck and dismantled Huthi terrorist infrastructure at the main airport in Sanaa鈥� and hit 鈥榮everal central power plants鈥� in the area of the capital.
An earlier raid on Monday killed at least four people and wounded 35 others, according to Huthis, when Israel hit a cement factory and the lifeline port of Hodeida.
Tuesday鈥檚 raids hit several locations including Sanaa airport, three power stations in and around the capital, and a cement factory in Amran, rebel media said.
They follow the Iran-backed Huthis鈥� missile attack on Israel鈥檚 main airport on Sunday, which for the first time penetrated the perimeter, leaving a large crater near a car park.
Just before Tuesday鈥檚 attacks, Israel鈥檚 military urged Yemeni civilians to 鈥榠mmediately鈥� evacuate the airport and 鈥榮tay away from the area鈥�.
鈥楩ailing to evacuate may put you at risk,鈥� military spokesman Avichay Adraee posted on X in Arabic.
The latest exchanges come as regional tensions soar anew over Israel鈥檚 plan to expand operations in Gaza and displace much of its population.
The Huthis blamed Israel and its ally the United States for the latest strikes. While Israel claimed responsibility, an American official denied any US involvement in Monday鈥檚 raids.
There was no immediate US comment on Tuesday.
Israel says it has targeted Yemen five times since July 2024, with Huthi authorities reporting a total of 29 people killed. Israel鈥檚 army regularly intercepts missiles from Yemen.
The Israeli army said it hit Hodeida port because it was used for the transfer of Iranian weapons and equipment, while the cement factory was a 鈥榮ignificant economic resource鈥� for the rebels.
Earlier on Monday, Israel鈥檚 security cabinet approved stepped-up military operations in Gaza, including the territory鈥檚 鈥榗onquest鈥�.
The Huthis claimed responsibility for Sunday鈥檚 鈥榟ypersonic ballistic missile鈥� attack and threatened fresh missile strikes on Israel鈥檚 airports.
