9 killed, 118 wounded in initial toll from Israeli airstrikes on Yemen

SANAA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- At least nine people were killed and 118 others wounded following a series of Israeli airstrikes on Yemen's capital Sanaa and al-Jawf province in the north on Wednesday evening, the Houthis, who control the areas, said in a statement.

The Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported that the Israeli attack targeted a medical facility run by the Houthi-controlled Yemeni Oil company in the al-Sitteen street, southwest of Sanaa.

Residents reported hearing a series of powerful explosions that shook the city, accompanied by the roar of jets flying overhead at full throttle. Ambulances were seen rushing to multiple sites across the city.

The Houthi television reported that the group's "air defenses confronted Israeli fighter jets" over Sanaa, noting that "some combat aircraft were forced to leave before they carried out airstrikes, and the bulk of the attack was thwarted."

Meanwhile, al-Masirah also reported Israeli airstrikes on the Houthi-controlled government complex and the Central Bank's branch in the al-Hazm district in the northern province of al-Jawf.

The Israeli military confirmed in a statement that its targets included military camps, the Houthi military's public relations headquarters, and a fuel storage facility. It described the strikes as "a response" to drone and missile attacks by the Yemeni group.

"We promised more strikes and today we dealt another painful blow to the Houthi terrorist organization in Yemen," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.

Following the airstrikes, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea issued a statement, saying: "We confirm that this brutal aggression will not pass without a response and punishment."

Mahdi Al-Mashat, head of the Houthi Supreme Political Council, was quoted by the Houthi-run Saba news agency as saying that the "aggression will give us a greater opportunity to respond with all our strength."

The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, have targeted Israel since November 2023 to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The group has stepped up missile and drone attacks on Israel since an Israeli airstrike in Sanaa last month killed 12 senior figures in the group.■