Houthis say at least four killed in Sanaa, over 20 wounded in overnight attack; US intensifies air campaign amid Red Sea tensions
Another round of American bombs just fell on Yemen. This time, it hit a residential home in Sanaa — killing at least four people and injuring over 20, many of them women and children, Houthi officials say.
The strikes are part of a widening air campaign authorized by U.S. President Donald Trump against Houthi targets, and they’re turning increasingly deadly for civilians caught in the crossfire.
Civilian Home Leveled in Sanaa, Children Among the Injured
It happened Sunday night in Sanaa, Yemen’s capital. Local officials say a U.S. airstrike leveled a home in a densely populated area. Four people died on the spot. More than 20 others were injured.
Among the wounded: at least four women and children, according to Yemen’s Ministry of Health.
Video from the scene showed rescuers digging through the rubble of a collapsed two-storey building. Dust, screams, chaos. Not a military base. Just a house.
This isn’t the first strike this week either — and definitely not the first to hit a civilian neighborhood.
Three More Strikes Hit District West of Capital
In addition to the Sanaa attack, U.S. fighter jets launched three more strikes in the Al Jabal al Aswad area of the Bani Matar district, located west of the capital.
No immediate reports of casualties from those strikes have come in. But locals say the blasts shook entire hillsides.
And here’s the thing — there’s growing concern that the air campaign isn’t just zeroing in on Houthi military sites anymore.
One official in the area told a local journalist, “Every time a missile hits, it feels like the whole mountain is breaking.”
Houthis Say Civilian Toll Is Rising Fast
Houthi authorities claim dozens of civilians have died in the latest round of U.S. airstrikes. Since Trump resumed the bombing campaign last month, the number of casualties has spiked.
On Saturday, two more people were killed in Saada, a Houthi stronghold in northern Yemen. Nine others were injured in that strike. And that’s just the ones confirmed by local clinics and Houthi media.
The Al Masirah satellite channel — run by the Houthis — aired graphic footage showing collapsed rooftops and desperate families trying to pull survivors from debris.
-
Civilian death toll since Trump resumed strikes: over 45
-
Injured civilians: estimated 70+, many with life-altering injuries
-
Military deaths reported: unconfirmed but likely dozens more
Red Sea Shipping Attacks Fueling the Fire
This whole thing is about the Red Sea — or at least that’s how the White House frames it.
Houthi forces have launched multiple drone and missile attacks on commercial vessels passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. They say it’s in solidarity with Palestinians caught in Israel’s war in Gaza.
Washington sees those attacks as a threat to international shipping, and Trump has ordered a hardline response.
But the question many are asking now is: Is the response proportionate?
The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier, one of the oldest in the U.S. fleet, has taken center stage in the operation. It’s patrolling the Red Sea, launching jets, and overseeing strikes.
Three sentences.
And even though Houthi claims about the carrier have often been false — they’ve repeatedly said it was hit, only for the U.S. to deny it — the tension is real. And rising.
Sanaa Residents Speak Out — ‘We’re Not Soldiers’
In Sanaa, fear is now part of daily life. Residents say the buzz of drones overhead keeps them awake at night. Some are even fleeing the city.
“We’re not soldiers. We’re just people,” said one man, speaking with a bandage on his head outside a crowded hospital. “Why are they bombing our homes?”
Others describe the attacks as random and terrifying.
A schoolteacher named Hana told reporters, “Every time there’s a strike, my children cry and hide under the table. They think we’re going to die.”
The mental toll on children is growing, aid agencies warn.
No End in Sight as US Expands Campaign
The strikes show no signs of slowing. U.S. Central Command hasn’t released official numbers, but experts estimate more than 40 airstrikes have been carried out across Yemen in just the past three weeks.
Military analysts say the campaign has clearly shifted gears — from precision targeting to sustained bombardment.
One analyst noted, “This is no longer just deterrence. This is attrition.”
Meanwhile, the Pentagon is also sending a second aircraft carrier to the region. The move signals deeper commitment — and more firepower — even as casualties climb.
Global Backlash Brewing
The international reaction has been mixed. Washington’s allies have kept largely quiet, perhaps not wanting to get pulled into another Middle East mess.
But human rights groups are ringing alarm bells.
Amnesty International called for an immediate investigation into civilian deaths. “Targeting homes is a violation of international law unless there’s clear evidence of a military purpose,” said one spokesperson.
And in the United Nations, multiple members have pushed for an emergency session on Yemen. Whether anything comes of it remains uncertain.
