At least seven killed in suspected US airstrikes on Yemen, Houthi rebels say

Suspected US airstrikes around Yemen’s rebel-held capital have killed at least seven people and injured 29, according to the Houthis, who also claimed to have shot down another American MQ-9 Reaper drone.

Footage from the Houthis’ al-Masirah satellite news channel showed firefighters working to extinguish a fire, allegedly caused by the airstrikes. The aftermath showed rubble scattered across a street, with one person being carried away from the site, which the Houthis identified as a ceramics factory in the Bani Matar neighbourhood of Sanaa, the capital.

The Houthis reported further strikes in Hodeida, al-Jawaf, and Marib governorates, though no casualties were mentioned.

The US military’s Central Command, responsible for overseeing operations, has not confirmed the airstrikes.

The White House has stated that over 200 airstrikes have been carried out as part of the ongoing campaign, which started on 15 March.

US airstrikes have targeted the rebels for their attacks on shipping in Middle Eastern waters, related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

These strikes have resulted in over 120 deaths, according to the Houthis’ Health Ministry.

Meanwhile, the Houthis have claimed that they shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone on Sunday night over Yemen’s Hajjah governorate, located near Saudi Arabia’s border on the Red Sea.

Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree said this was the fourth such downing in two weeks, using a “locally manufactured missile.”

The rebels possess surface-to-air missiles, such as the Iranian-made 358 missile, capable of downing aircraft. While Iran denies arming the rebels, Tehran-manufactured weapons have been found in Yemen, despite a US arms embargo.

The US campaign in Yemen shows no sign of stopping, with the Trump administration also tying these strikes to a broader effort to pressure Iran over its nuclear ambitions. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the operations demonstrate the US’s ability to strike deep and far, asserting that it aims to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.