Did Israeli Airstrikes Target Yemen's Sanaa and Amran?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Israeli airstrikes targeted multiple sites in Yemen.
- Significant infrastructure damage reported in Sanaa and Amran.
- Military action was in response to a missile attack on Israel.
- The Houthis threaten further retaliation.
- Ongoing conflict raises questions about future peace initiatives.
Sanaa/Jerusalem, May 6 (NationPress) Intensive airstrikes conducted by Israel hit Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and the northern province of Amran on Tuesday afternoon. Local witnesses reported seeing thick black smoke billowing over both locations after the attacks. In Sanaa, the strikes impacted Sanaa International Airport, the Dhahban power plant, and two military installations.
In Amran, located approximately 60 km north of the capital, airstrikes reportedly targeted a concrete factory.
The Israeli military later acknowledged the strikes, asserting that they had rendered the airport inoperable and that the concrete factory in Amran was being utilized by Houthi forces for military purposes.
Just minutes before the airstrike, an Israeli army spokesperson issued a warning on social media platform X, advising civilians in the vicinity to evacuate immediately.
This military action was reportedly a response to a missile launched by Houthi forces towards Israel's Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on Sunday, which resulted in four minor injuries and some damage, according to Israel's emergency services. The Houthis claimed the missile launch was retaliation for Israel's ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Tuesday's airstrikes followed a series of Israeli attacks on Yemen's Hodeidah province just a day earlier, which resulted in at least four fatalities and left 39 others injured. The airstrikes affected the port city of Hodeidah, its airport, a cement factory, and military sites northeast of the city, leading to substantial damage to infrastructure.
The Houthi forces, who control a significant portion of northern Yemen, have targeted Israel since November 2023, describing their actions as an act of solidarity with the Palestinian cause. The group has stated that it would cease its attacks if Israel ended its military campaign and blockade on Gaza.