Sanaa (South24 Center)

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Powerful explosions shook Yemen’s capital Sanaa on Sunday afternoon (August 24) as Israeli warplanes carried out a wave of airstrikes against Houthi-held sites, marking the latest escalation between the two sides.

Local sources in Sanaa told South24 that the strikes hit the Presidential Palace compound, the headquarters of the Houthi-run Gas and Oil Company, the Attan district, and the Haziz power station.

The Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reported that two people were killed and five others injured in the initial toll of the Israeli bombing of an oil company's station in Sanaa.

 

Reuters reported that the raids targeted facilities linked to missile launches in Attan, southwest of the capital.

 

Residents said thick plumes of smoke rose from several areas as blasts echoed across the city. Footage posted on social media showed large fires breaking out at the sites.

 

The Houthi-run Oil Company said in a statement that “fuel supplies remain stable and precautionary measures have been taken for any emergency.”

 

According to Israel Army Radio, 14 fighter jets took part in the attack on Sanaa, dropping about 40 munitions. 

Israel’s Channel 12 cited a military source as saying that the operation was in response to a Houthi missile fired toward Israel on Friday, described as the first launched from Yemen carrying a fragmentation warhead. Hebrew media said the projectile posed a greater threat due to its ability to strike multiple targets.

 

Meanwhile, the Walla news site reported that Israeli intelligence services were working to compile a broader “target bank” against the Houthis, despite difficulties locating underground or concealed facilities.

A deputy official in the Houthi-affiliated Moral Guidance Department acknowledged that the strikes hit official compounds near civilian areas, confirming that the Presidential Palace was struck but was “empty of staff”. Speaking to Aljazeera TV, the official alleged that Israel was seeking new intelligence channels after the U.S.’ naval vessels had left the Red Sea., and warned that if American ships in the Gulf of Aden were to provide Israel with targeting data, they would be attacked “with force.”

#BREAKING
Initial footage shows aftermath of Israeli airstrikes on oil company facility in #Sanaa#south24pic.twitter.com/GZiDuTDAfw

— South24 | English (@South24E) August 24, 2025

 

As of publication, the Houthis had not released details of casualties or damage, and no figures were announced by the Houthi-run Ministry of Health. 

The IDF in a statement said: "A short while ago, the IDF struck military infrastructure of the Houthi terrorist regime in the Sanaa area, including a military site in which the presidency palace is located, the Asar and Hizaz power plants, and a site for storing fuel; all were used for the military activity of the Houthi terrorist regime."

It said the strikes were conducted “in response to repeated attacks by the Houthi terrorist regime against the State of Israel and its civilians, including the launching of surface-to-surface missiles and UAVs toward Israeli territory in recent days”.

The IDF said it “remains determined to continue removing any threat posed to the civilians of the State of Israel, wherever it is required”.

On August 17, the Israeli military said it had launched combined air and naval strikes on Sanaa, targeting what it described as Houthi energy infrastructure used for military purposes.