Israel struck Yemen’s capital Sanaa on Sunday in response to Houthi rocket attacks on Israel. The Houthi-run Health Ministry reported at least two dead and 35 wounded.
The Israeli military said the targets included a military compound housing the presidential palace, two power plants and a fuel storage facility.
“The strikes were carried out in response to repeated attacks by the Husit terrorist regime against the state of Israel and its civilian population, including the launching of surface-to-surface missiles and drones into Israel in recent days,” the military said in a statement.
On Friday, the Houthis said they launched a ballistic missile toward Israel in their latest attack, which they said was in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
The AP writes that an Israeli air force official, who wished to remain anonymous in accordance with military regulations, described the munition as a new threat – a cluster munition designed to detonate into multiple explosives on impact. The official said the use of cluster bombs makes interception more difficult and is an additional technology provided to the Houthis by Iran.
The Iranian-backed Yemeni group has repeatedly fired rockets toward Israel, claiming it is seeking an end to Israel’s operation in the Gaza Strip. Israel, in turn, has struck Yemen several times, including at the airport in Sanaa.