Israel confirmed on Sunday that its military had struck an energy infrastructure site used by Yemen’s Huthi rebels near the capital Sanaa. The strike is part of Israel’s response to repeated missile and drone attacks launched by the Iran-backed group amid the ongoing war in Gaza. The targeted location, reportedly the Haziz power plant south of Sanaa, was described by Israel as supporting the “Huthi terrorist regime.”
Israeli officials stated that the operation aimed to disrupt the rebels’ operational capabilities, especially their ability to launch attacks toward Israel. Since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, the Huthis have consistently fired projectiles at Israel in what they call solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Most of these missiles have been intercepted before reaching Israeli territory.
The Huthis’ Al-Masirah TV, citing local sources, confirmed the strike on the Haziz plant but did not report any casualties. The attack marks another escalation in a series of Israeli responses to Huthi aggression, which includes previous airstrikes on various rebel-held targets across Yemen. However, this strike appears to be one of the deepest carried out inside Yemen since the conflict escalated.
In addition to launching attacks at Israel, the Huthis have targeted ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, claiming links to Israeli interests. They expanded their campaign in early 2024 to include ships tied to the United States and Britain, leading to heightened tensions in international waters. This shift came after Western forces launched strikes aimed at securing the maritime route.
Despite agreeing to a ceasefire with the United States in May 2025, the Huthis declared they would continue targeting Israeli-linked vessels. This ongoing threat has kept regional tensions high, with Israel maintaining a firm stance against any attacks originating from Yemen. Sunday’s strike underlines Israel’s commitment to defending its territory and interests in the wider Middle East.
As the conflict persists, international observers remain concerned about its spillover effects across the region. With the Huthis showing no signs of halting their operations, further retaliatory actions by Israel seem likely unless diplomatic efforts succeed in reducing tensions.