Israel’s military announced on Sunday (Aug 17) that it conducted a rare long-distance strike against what it described as “energy infrastructure” used by Yemen’s Houthi movement, deep inside the capital region of Sana’a. The strike marks a significant escalation in Israel’s widening confrontation with the Iran-backed group, which has launched repeated attacks against Israeli targets since the start of the Gaza war.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the operation targeted what it called “terror infrastructure” linked to the Houthis, approximately 2,000 kilometers from Israel’s territory. Reports from the ground in Yemen indicated that explosions were heard at or near a power plant in Sana’a shortly before the IDF confirmed responsibility for the strike.
The attack was carried out by Israeli Navy missile boats, Israeli media including The Times of Israel reported, citing defense officials. While the military did not specify the exact facility targeted, its official statement stressed that the site was “used by the Houthi terror regime to support its ongoing aggression against Israel.”
The Houthis, a Shi’ite rebel group aligned with Iran, have previously claimed responsibility for launching missiles and drones toward Israeli territory and shipping routes in the Red Sea. Their attacks intensified following the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, framing their campaign as part of a broader “resistance axis” against Israel and its Western allies.
By striking so far beyond its borders, Israel appears to be sending a direct message both to the Houthis and to Iran, their primary backer. Analysts suggest the attack demonstrates Israel’s willingness and capability to project military power well outside the immediate theater of the Gaza war.
The development also underscores the increasing regionalization of the Gaza conflict, which has already drawn in actors from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and now Yemen. Military observers warn that sustained strikes of this nature could risk further destabilizing the Arabian Peninsula, where Yemen is already mired in a protracted civil war.
Neither the Houthis nor Yemeni officials immediately commented on the reported strike. Humanitarian groups, however, have expressed concern that targeting energy infrastructure could worsen the already dire living conditions in Yemen, where millions face chronic shortages of electricity, fuel, and basic supplies after years of war.
