Explosions Rock Yemen’s Sanaa as Reports Emerge of Renewed Saudi Airstrikes

Loud explosions rocked Yemen's Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa, late Saturday as Saudi airstrikes reportedly targeted the city, according to the Houthi-run al-Masirah television network.

Residents reported hearing military aircraft overhead before powerful blasts shook buildings and rattled windows across the capital. A resident who spoke to Xinhua on condition of anonymity described the intensity of the explosions and the panic they caused.

"The blasts were so powerful that the ground shook beneath us. It felt like an earthquake. Our windows were rattling, and the children woke up terrified," the resident said.

Local residents believed the strikes had targeted Houthi military positions. However, there was no immediate confirmation of the targets or reports of casualties.

The reported airstrikes came hours after Yemen's Houthi movement claimed to have launched ballistic missiles and drones at an Aramco facility in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The group described the attack as retaliation for what it called an intensification of Saudi military operations in Yemen.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea claimed that Yemen had come under 60 air and missile strikes during the preceding 24 hours, according to Xinhua. The figure could not be independently verified.

Tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia have escalated sharply in recent months. The situation deteriorated further after the Houthis announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia on July 20, followed by an increase in cross-border missile and drone attacks and Saudi air operations.

The confrontation expanded further in September as fighting intensified between Houthi forces and Yemeni government troops, who receive substantial support from Saudi Arabia. The Houthis captured the strategically important Red Sea port city of Mocha on September 10 and took control of Mayyun Island, a key location near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the following day.

The latest developments have raised concerns over the widening conflict and its potential implications for regional security, particularly around critical maritime routes connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

Yemen's civil war dates back to late 2014, when Houthi forces seized Sanaa and large parts of the country's north. In March 2015, a Saudi-led military coalition intervened in support of Yemen's internationally recognised government, turning the conflict into a broader regional confrontation.

Despite various diplomatic efforts to reduce hostilities, renewed military escalation has continued to threaten stability in Yemen and the wider Middle East.