Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has claimed that the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) “destroyed the Houthi presidential palace in Yemen” during a recent wave of airstrikes. However, this assertion remains unconfirmed by Houthi officials or independent sources in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, creating a fog of war around the operation’s precise outcomes.
The Israeli strikes were launched in retaliation for a Houthi ballistic missile attack that, according to Israel, carried a cluster bomb warhead. The Israeli Air Force targeted a military compound where the palace is located, alongside a fuel depot and power stations, causing significant damage and large explosions visible across the city.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while not explicitly confirming the palace’s destruction, indicated that it was among the targets hit. He delivered a stern message, vowing that Israel would attack anyone who attacks or plans to attack the country. “The Houthi terrorist regime is learning the hard way that it will pay… a very heavy price,” he stated.
The human cost of the raid is clearer, with the Houthi-controlled health ministry reporting six deaths and 86 injuries. The strikes have deepened the conflict, with Israel imposing an air and naval blockade and promising to continue hitting infrastructure targets to dismantle Houthi capabilities.