Brief
Yemen’s capital endures new air strikes as government launches Operation Dawn
Midnight air raids on Sanaa have killed a child and wounded seven civilians as the government pushes its new offensive against the Houthis.
By Felo News Desk · Published
At midnight on Tuesday, air strikes rattled Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, marking the first major bombing of the city since a 2023 truce between the internationally recognised government and the Houthis, Al Jazeera reported.
What happened
The strikes were part of a new government offensive called Operation Dawn of Yemen, announced by Rashid al‑Alimi, head of the Presidential Leadership Council. The operation aims to retake Sanaa, which the Houthis have controlled since September 2014. Because ground forces remain hundreds of kilometres away and are engaged on the west coast and around Taiz, the campaign relies on air power.
On Monday, an air strike hit the Sa’wan district of Sanaa governorate, killing a child and wounding seven other civilians. The following night, another strike hit Sanaa’s international airport, killing two airport workers. Dozens of additional strikes have been reported since the offensive began, including attacks on Houthi positions and infrastructure.
What the reports add
Al Jazeera notes that the city had been largely spared bombing after the 2023 truce, and that the new wave of attacks has revived memories of the 2015 Saudi‑led coalition’s Operation Decisive Storm, which caused hundreds of civilian deaths in Sanaa. The outlet also mentions that the government has pledged to continue air attacks until it recaptures the capital, despite civilian fears that the city could become a war zone again.
What was said
Rashid al‑Alimi told the public that the offensive was necessary to restore government control over the capital. A resident, 30‑year‑old courier Ghamadan Abood, expressed fear that the renewed bombing would turn Sanaa into a battlefield once more.
How it came about
Operation Dawn follows months of fighting on Yemen’s western front and in Taiz, where government forces have made recent advances. The renewed air campaign comes after a series of Houthi‑Saudi exchanges, including the Saudi‑intercepted missile attack on Riyadh on 20 September and Houthi accusations of dozens of Saudi strikes on Sanaa on 3 October, both covered by Felo News.
Key facts
- Midnight air strikes hit Sanaa on 11 Oct 2026, killing a child and wounding seven civilians (aljazeera.com)
- The strikes are part of Operation Dawn of Yemen, announced by Rashid al‑Alimi (aljazeera.com)
- Two airport workers were killed in an air strike on Sanaa’s international airport (aljazeera.com)
- The city had been largely spared bombing since a 2023 truce (aljazeera.com)
- Government ground forces remain far from Sanaa, focusing on fighting on the west coast and around Taiz (aljazeera.com)
Sources
- [1] aljazeera.com — originally reported as “Fear and uncertainty for civilians as Yemen’s capital comes under attack”
