logo
IDF strikes Houthi energy infrastructure, including Haziz power station in Sanaa

IDF strikes Houthi energy infrastructure, including Haziz power station in Sanaa

Yahoo18 hours ago
At least two explosions were heard in the Yemeni capital Sanaa near a power station, residents said early on Sunday.
The IDF struck an energy infrastructure site that was used by the Houthis in Yemen, the military confirmed on Sunday morning.
According to the IDF, the strikes were conducted in response to repeated attacks by Houthis against Israel and Israeli civilians, including launching surface-to-surface missiles and drones toward Israeli territory.
Army Radio reported that the Israel Navy struck in Yemen and targeted the Haziz power station. The report compared the strike to an earlier one this year in the port of Hodeidah.
The Houthi-run Beirut-based Al Masirah TV reported earlier that a power plant south of the Yemeni capital Sanaa was hit by an "aggression," knocking some of its generators out of service. The Yemeni channel did not identify the source of the reported "aggression."
Senior Houthi leaders were at the power station at the time of the strike, according to a report by UK-based outlet The Telegraph.
Teams were working to put out a fire caused by the incident, Al Masirah added, citing a source in civil defense as saying.
At least two explosions were heard earlier in Sanaa, residents said.
Videos of the explosion showed clouds of smoke and flames erupting from an unidentified structure.
Houthis have been striking Israel for months
Israel has been carrying out airstrikes in Yemen in response to the Houthis' attacks on Israel.
The Yemeni group has been firing missiles toward Israel, most of which have been intercepted, in what they describe as support to Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas War.
The US and the UK had also previously launched attacks against the Houthis in Yemen.
In May, the US announced a surprise deal with the Houthis where it agreed to stop a bombing campaign against them in return for an end to the group's shipping attacks, though the Houthis said the deal did not include sparing Israel.
Solve the daily Crossword
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Israel targets Gaza City ‘until the decisive defeat of Hamas'
Israel targets Gaza City ‘until the decisive defeat of Hamas'

News24

time10 minutes ago

  • News24

Israel targets Gaza City ‘until the decisive defeat of Hamas'

Israel plans to focus its campaign on Gaza City. Hamas labelled Israel's campaign a war crime. Gaza City residents will be evacuated ahead of the campaign. The Israeli army's chief of staff said on Sunday the military was pressing ahead with plans for the next phase of its Gaza offensive, with a focus on Gaza City. 'Today we are approving the plan for the next phase of the war,' Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said during a field visit to the Palestinian territory, according to an army statement. 'We will maintain the momentum of Operation 'Gideon's Chariots' while focusing on Gaza City. We will continue to strike until the decisive defeat of Hamas,' he said. The large-scale operation in Gaza, dubbed 'Gideon's Chariots' by the Israeli army, began in mid-May. 'We will continue to strike until the decisive defeat of Hamas, with the hostages always at the forefront of our minds,' Zamir added. In response Hamas said the plans would result in 'a new wave of extermination and mass displacement'. Eyad Baba/AFP The Palestinian militant group also condemned the proposals a 'a major war crime' which it said reflected Israel's 'disregard for international and humanitarian law'. Earlier this month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu laid out his plan, approved by his security cabinet, for a new phase of operations in Gaza. Israel has said it is preparing to take control of Gaza City and neighbouring refugee camps with the stated aim of defeating Hamas and freeing the hostages kidnapped during the 7 October 2023 attack that sparked the 22-month war. Zamir said Israel's ongoing offensive had 'achieved its objectives', that 'Hamas no longer possesses the same capabilities', and the military had dealt the Palestinian militant group a 'severe blow'. The current campaign is not a pinpoint one; it is just another layer in a long-term and planned strategy. Eyal Zamir On Friday, the army said its troops were conducting a series of operations on the outskirts of Gaza City, where residents have been reporting intense strikes and ground incursions for days. Israel on Saturday said it was preparing 'to move the population from combat zones to the southern Gaza Strip for their protection'. Hamas said Israel's statements on this, including its plans for the installation of tents in southern Gaza, were 'a blatant deception to cover up the imminent massacre and forced displacement'. Israel's army radio reported on Sunday residents would be evacuated before troops encircle the Gaza City and finally seize it, beginning 'in the coming weeks'. Tens of thousands of reservist soldiers would be called up for the mission, the report added.

The crisis in Syria's Sweida and its threat on Israel's northern border
The crisis in Syria's Sweida and its threat on Israel's northern border

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

The crisis in Syria's Sweida and its threat on Israel's northern border

The real question is not only whether Israel will help the Druze, but how it will do so without making them even more isolated in their homeland. Thousands of members of the Druze community in Sweida in southern Syria were massacred and looted this past July. What began as the local murder of a young Druze man in Damascus quickly escalated into a wave of kidnappings, mass killings, and large-scale attacks by pro-Turkish militias and local Bedouin elements. These crimes were documented and spread on social media as part of a terror campaign. To this moment, the population remains under a brutal siege — and the world is silent. 'At the time, I said that when [Bashar] Assad falls, Israel should lower its flag to half-mast — I was not mistaken,' IDF Col. (res.) Dr. Anan Wahabi told Walla. Wahabi, a fellow at the ICT at Reichman University, served in the IDF Intelligence Directorate, commanded operational units, and headed Israel's international strategic perception, psychological warfare, and cyber operations efforts. 'There's a de facto siege on the Druze there. It's a terror attack on the Druze,' he added, drawing parallels to October 7: 'It's terror from the same source that justifies murder, rape, and looting.' Now, the ICT warns: Israel cannot allow hostile terrorist forces to gain a foothold on its northern border. The question is not whether to intervene — but how. Sweida has become 'the arena the world forgot,' but Israel cannot ignore it. For the Jewish state, this is a double test: a test of morality toward the Druze community facing an existential crisis, and strategic, regarding threats to its northern border and the regional tensions as a whole. The position paper warned that over-involvement could drag Israel into a war of attrition in Syria, further damage relations with Turkey, and even ignite internal protests among Druze citizens of Israel — potentially leading to refusal to serve in the security forces. The paper was initiated by Reichman University President Prof. Boaz Ganor, a pioneer in the academic study of terrorism and founder of the ICT, and prepared by eight ICT fellows, including Wahabi. But if Israel sits on the sidelines, terrorist organizations could entrench themselves near the border, and southern Syria could become a base for attacks. On the diplomatic front, there are concerns that the new regime led by Al-Shaara could exploit the crisis to build international legitimacy as a 'terrorist in a suit.' On the other hand, the report points to the diplomatic potential in this tectonic shift. Israel could cultivate ties with Arab groups in preparation for 'the day after,' the Gaza war, strengthen its commitment to the Druze within Israel, and send a message of solidarity to all minorities in Syria, which could contribute to stabilizing southern areas of the country, strengthen the moderate regional bloc led by Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and secure its position as a central partner in a broad regional settlement led by the United States. US Republican Congressman Abraham Hamadeh, a former US Army reserve intelligence officer, made the first visit in decades by a US official traveling between Jerusalem and Damascus. He spent six hours in Syria this week to meet with President al-Sharaa. He also addressed the need for a secure humanitarian corridor to ensure safe delivery of medical and humanitarian aid to Sweida. He also addressed the need for a secure humanitarian corridor to ensure safe delivery of medical and humanitarian aid to Sweida — explicitly to advance former President Donald Trump's 'peace through strength' policy and to push Syria at this time toward normalization with Israel and joining the Abraham Accords. Until that happens, the report warns: overt Israeli involvement could be perceived as 'stamping an Israeli mark' on the Druze, making them even more isolated within Syria. Images coming from Syria of Druze waving the Israeli flag in gratitude for Israel's support are being framed in Syria and the Arab world as collusion with the enemy. Act cautiously, combine aid, diplomacy, limited military action The report details a series of steps Israel should adopt: 1. Controlled humanitarian aid – expand shipments of medicine and food, but via international mechanisms (Red Crescent, UN) to avoid harming the Druze. 2. Limited military action – avoid inserting ground forces and carry out only precise airstrikes in case of a direct threat to the border or the Druze. 3. Diplomatic measures – maintain close coordination with the US, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, but also keep a secret dialogue channel with Turkey to avoid direct confrontation. 4. Information campaign – expose the massacres through international media, mainly Al Jazeera, and counter propaganda portraying the Druze as 'Israel's proxy.' 5. Managing expectations with Israel's Druze – establish a joint command room with community leadership, allow legitimate protest but set red lines against attempts at independent action across the border. 6. Caution regarding autonomy – Israel shouldn't lead the initiative, but support it indirectly through civilian aid to avoid stigmatizing the Druze or provoking retribution. The emerging humanitarian corridor could serve as an interim solution — if managed carefully, with broad coordination and discretion. Ultimately, the real question is not only whether Israel will help the Druze, but how it will do so without making them even more isolated in their homeland. Wahabi believes that funding from Turkey and Qatar, which works to incriminate Israel's activities in Gaza, is working day and night to divert international attention away from what is happening in Syria. 'First, they created the crisis by essentially renewing an old historic conflict between the Druze and the Bedouin of Jabal al-Druze," according to him, "Along with that came a supposedly spontaneous call for help to the tribes and all of Syria — and suddenly forces arrive in large numbers from Turkish-controlled areas, with new vehicles, equipment, weapons, fuel, salaries — everything. Israel views this area as a demilitarized zone, but suddenly there's this side-story, an interim situation, that no one quite knows how to handle.' Solve the daily Crossword

Sharaa's nightmare is on the verge of realization, and a push could topple his regime
Sharaa's nightmare is on the verge of realization, and a push could topple his regime

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Sharaa's nightmare is on the verge of realization, and a push could topple his regime

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is in a difficult predicament: he wants complete control over all of Syria but has lost the trust of the minorities. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's rule has sparked widespread violence, including massacres against the Alawite and Druze communities, exposing deep divisions within Syria's minority groups. As Sharaa struggles to maintain control, his vision for a unified Syria clashes with the growing demand for decentralization and autonomy, with various ethnic factions - backed by international players - threatening the regime's survival. Sharaa hoped that everything in Syria would go according to his original plan. He waited in the Idlib province (northwest of the country) under Turkish protection for about nine years since the civil war, and in late 2024, he took advantage of the war in Ukraine and Hezbollah's war against Israel to overthrow the Assad regime in a matter of days, with Russia and Iran's hands tied. The next step was to take control of all Syria, which seemed like an easy task since, unlike Assad and the top officials of the previous regime, who were from the Alawite minority, Sharia law represents the majority Sunni sect, making up about 70% of the population. So, what's the problem? Sharaa's men were not content with mere control; they sought revenge. Immediately after seizing power in Damascus in December 2024, massacres against the Alawite community in Sahel (Latakia, Tartus, and Baniyas provinces) began to multiply, culminating in the "Black March." Next in line were the Druze. In April, Sharaa's men carried out a massacre of Druze in the suburbs of Damascus. The massacre resumed, with greater intensity, in July in the southern province of Sweida. This time, the killings only stopped after the intervention of the IDF. Senior officials of the new regime repeatedly stated that they had not given orders to carry out these acts and even pledged to prosecute the rebels. But the picture is pretty clear – Sharaa is unable to control the bearded savages he brought with him from Idlib province. Moreover, if he does punish the criminals, he will severely harm the jihadist camp most loyal to his regime. While the Alawites unanimously oppose Sharaa's rule, the Druze camp appears to be divided. The camp represented by Sheikh Laith al-Balaut believes in talks with Sharaa, out of the perception that the Druze have no choice but to take control of the new Syria. This camp is supported by the Druze in Lebanon, led by Walid Jumblatt, and prefers to maintain ongoing contact with the regime in Damascus. On the other hand, there is the camp led by Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri, who, like the Alawite position, completely rejects the option of accepting Sharaa rule. This camp is supported by the Druze in Israel. From al-Hajri's perspective, Sharaa represents a dangerous jihadist movement that sees the Druze (and Alawites) as infidels. There is a lot of truth in this view. The Salafi ideology of most of the people of Sharaa is indeed based on the writings of the Hanbali jurist (the strictest school of thought in Sunni Islam) Ibn Taymiyyah from the 14th century, who ruled that the Alawites (then called Nusayris) and the Druze are infidel sects who have left the fold of Islam and, as traitors, their punishment is death. The Kurds observe and learn Although the Kurdish community is largely Sunni, it has a bitter past as a persecuted minority. Furthermore, the Kurds have fought more than any other group against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, and the people of Sharaa remind them of the monsters of the Islamic State. Indeed, ideologically, the differences between ISIS and the al-Nusra Front (al-Qaeda in Syria) led by Sharaa are not great. In addition, the Kurds are very suspicious of the regime in Damascus, mainly due to its close ties with their main enemy – Turkey, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. At the end of February, Sharaa was still very optimistic about the Kurdish issue. On the 24th-25th of the month, the "Syrian National Dialogue Conference" was held in Damascus, with the participation of most of the country's ethnic groups. The conference supposedly heralded a new Syria of tolerance and inter-ethnic reconciliation. On March 10, Sharaa even met with Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The two parties agreed on the integration of the large Kurdish force (more than a hundred thousand fighters) into the new Syrian army. However, in practice, the implementation of the agreement was delayed and appeared to have been frozen. The horrific events in the Alawite and Druze regions greatly deterred the Kurds. They watched as the Alawites (the soldiers of the previous regime) handed over their weapons and saw the shortage of weapons that the Druze militias suffered from, and they understood very well the significance of handing over weapons or giving up the independence that the Kurds currently enjoy in the north of the country. The apparent relationship between the regime in Damascus and the Kurds was shattered in August, following the holding of the "Al-Hasakah Conference" in the Kurdish province, attended by Abdi and senior Kurdish officials, Druze leader Hikmat al-Hajri, and the head of the Syrian Alawite Council, Sheikh Ghazal Ghazal. The conference was also attended by other minorities who now feel threatened: Christians of various denominations, Turkmens, Armenians, Circassians, and more. The participants' goal was to arouse international sympathy and also to maintain joint pressure on Damascus, regarding the existence of a democratic, egalitarian, and liberal Syria. The main idea of the conference was decentralization. This meant that Syria would exist as a federation, in which each sect would maintain autonomy under loose control from Damascus. This is the nightmare of the Sharaa regime, which sees it as effectively the disintegration of Syria into regions – Druze in the south, Alawite in the west, and Kurdish in the north. In practice, this means that the regime in Damascus will only have direct control over about 60% of the country. Syrian Foreign Minister Asad al-Sheibani was quick to reject the conference's demands outright, emphasizing that all sects in Syria will exist solely under the framework of a united Syria. A difficult predicament in Syria Sharaa is now in a difficult predicament: he wants complete control over all of Syria, but in the six months of his rule, he has lost the trust of the minorities. Arab countries that support the Syrian regime accuse Israel of trying to subvert Syria to weaken it, as is clearly reflected in the Arab media. Turkey hopes to use the new government in Damascus as a protectorate, which will allow it to strategically control Syria politically. The principality of Qatar, which hopes to gain a significant share of economic control over Syria, is also concerned about the situation. Al Jazeera commentator Ramadan Bursa recently published an editorial titled "Syria faces a very dangerous situation." In his article, he explained that a federation is not suitable for a weak and unstable regime like Syria, and that a federal regime can only exist in rich, stable, and successful countries like the US, Britain, and Germany. Bursa warns that a federal regime is very dangerous for Syria's future, and could lead to its weakening and even disintegration. The regime in Damascus is now on a collision course with all minorities. While the Alawites are defenseless, the Druze are backed by Israel, and the Kurds constitute a large, armed force that still enjoys a kind of American patronage. In recent days, the regime in Damascus has been publishing lists of detainees, alleged lawbreakers, who participated in the massacre against the Alawites and Druze. But it is doubtful whether these arrests will restore trust in the regime. From the perspective of the minorities, the option of the control of the security forces of Sharaa in their territories is the most frightening and threatening. Syria's regime is in real danger of crumbling. Solve the daily Crossword

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store