October 2, 2026
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Suspected U.S. airstrikes struck around Yemen's rebel-held capital overnight into Monday morning, attacks that the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist group said killed at least three people.
The full extent of the damage wasn’t immediately clear. The attacks followed a night of airstrikes early Friday that appeared particularly intense compared to other days in the campaign that began March 15.
The strikes around Sanaa, Yemen's capital, which has been held by the Houthis since 2014, and Hajjah governorate also wounded 12 others, the terror organization said.
Their Al-Masirah satellite news channel aired footage of broken glass littering homes in Sanaa after the concussive blast of the bombs but continued not to show the targets of the attacks — suggesting the sites had a military or intelligence function.
Another strike targeted a pickup truck in Hajjah, the Houthis said. It marked the first, publicly known time the American strikes targeted a vehicle in this campaign.
An Associated Press review has found the new American operation against the Houthis under President Donald Trump appears more extensive than those under former President Joe Biden, as the U.S. moves from solely targeting launch sites to firing at ranking personnel.
The new campaign of airstrikes started after the terrorists threatened to begin targeting “Israeli” ships again over Israel blocking aid entering the Gaza Strip. In the past, they have loosely defined what constitutes an Israeli ship, meaning other vessels could be targeted.
The Houthis had targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two vessels and killing four sailors from November 2023 until January of this year. They also launched attacks targeting American warships, though none has been hit so far.
The attacks greatly raised the Houthis’ profile as they faced economic problems and launched a crackdown targeting any dissent and aid workers at home amid Yemen’s decade-long stalemated war that has torn apart the Arab world’s poorest nation.
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