Sanaa Power Plant Hit, Houthis Cite Foreign ‘Aggression’
Civil defense teams were dispatched to extinguish the fire, Al Masirah reported, though the source of the attack has not been identified.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — A power plant south of Yemen’s capital Sanaa was struck early Sunday in what Houthi-run Al Masirah TV described as an act of “aggression,” leaving parts of the facility out of service after at least two explosions rocked the area, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Residents reported hearing loud blasts near the site, while videos circulating online showed plumes of smoke and flames rising from the damaged structure. Civil defense teams were dispatched to extinguish the fire, Al Masirah reported, though the source of the attack has not been identified.
The incident comes against the backdrop of an intensifying confrontation between Israel and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement. The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, have been firing long-range missiles and drones toward Israel for months, framing the campaign as support for Palestinians during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. While most projectiles have been intercepted, Israel has repeatedly conducted retaliatory airstrikes inside Yemen.
The United States and the United Kingdom have also targeted Houthi positions in recent months, citing the group’s missile and drone attacks on commercial shipping lanes in the Red Sea. In May, Washington announced a temporary arrangement with the Houthis, agreeing to halt a bombing campaign in exchange for the cessation of shipping attacks. However, the Houthis clarified at the time that the deal did not extend to Israel.
The latest strike underscores the increasingly regional scope of the Gaza war, which has fueled multiple flashpoints beyond the Israel-Gaza frontlines. Since October 2023, the Houthis have emerged as a key actor challenging Israel directly, the first time the group has engaged in such long-range hostilities. Their involvement has further strained security across the Red Sea, one of the world’s most vital maritime trade routes, prompting Western naval deployments to safeguard shipping.
For Israel, Yemen represents a new front in an already complex conflict involving Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Iranian-backed militias in Syria and Iraq. Observers warn that the escalation risks drawing the region deeper into a prolonged multi-front confrontation, with Yemen’s fragile civilian infrastructure—such as power stations—becoming increasingly vulnerable to the fallout of the conflict.
