In brief
Israel's military response to Houthi provocations escalates tensions in the region amid ongoing conflict with Hamas.
Israel has executed air strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, following an attack from the group that reportedly employed cluster munitions. This operation came in the wake of a missile strike attributed to the Iran-supported Houthis, marking their first known use of such bombs in the current conflict with Israel. The Israeli military targeted a military complex featuring a presidential palace, fuel depot, and power stations, resulting in the reported deaths of four individuals and injuries to 67 others, as confirmed by Houthi officials.Israeli authorities expressed concern over their inability to intercept the missile containing the cluster munitions—armaments banned by over 100 countries due to their hazardous nature. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, along with Defense Minister Israel Katz, supervised the retaliatory air strikes, reinforcing the principle that any attacks against the nation would be met with decisive military action.Shortly after the Houthi missile launch on Friday, the group disseminated footage revealing cluster bombs dispersing mid-air. The Israel Defense Forces reported that remnants from the attack landed in the Israeli town of Ginaton, inflicting minor damage. An investigation is underway regarding the missile interception failures to prevent the bomb dispersal.Cluster munitions are designed to release hundreds of small bomblets upon deployment, which can remain dangerous long after their initial drop due to a high rate of unexploded ordnance. The Houthis, who seized control of much of north-western Yemen in 2014, have increasingly targeted Israel amidst the ongoing hostilities in Gaza. They claim their missile strikes are in solidarity with the Palestinian cause and have intensified their operations, including missile fire and assaults on commercial shipping routes in the Red Sea.The conflict sees Iran backing the Houthi forces and has led to escalating military actions in the region, intensifying the already complex dynamics of conflict between Israel, Hamas, and Iranian-supported militias.
