Local sources in Sana'a said on Friday 9 October 2026 that warplanes had carried out new strikes on military sites in the Yemeni capital, in the latest wave of air raids coinciding with an escalation in operations between government forces and the Houthi group on several fronts.
Three strikes target Houthi sites in Sana'a
Local sources said three strikes hit Houthi-affiliated sites in Sana'a on Friday afternoon, hours after intense overnight raids accompanied by warplane flights and successive explosions in various parts of the city. Local residents said Thursday night's bombardment targeted military sites, including the military academy.
A security source said the strikes included command headquarters and weapons depots inside Sana'a airport, as well as the Al-Nahdin camp overlooking the presidential palace and communications networks in Bani Matar district west of the capital. According to Yemeni sources, the raids also extended to military sites, weapons depots and communications facilities in the governorates of Ibb, Al-Bayda, Taiz, Hodeidah and Raymah.
The reported targets included a camp in the Yarim area of Ibb governorate, sites in Bani Matar in Sana'a governorate and weapons depots in various parts of Al-Bayda. Government forces said on Thursday evening that their operations had targeted observation posts, command-and-control centres, weapons depots, supply points and Houthi reinforcements, using what they described as advanced precision weapons as part of Operation “Dawn of Yemen”.
Government forces announce objectives of Operation Dawn of Yemen
The spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Colonel Staff Majid Al-Nazili, said the forces had carried out 1729 targeting operations against military targets across various axes and fronts during Thursday's operations. He added that, according to the forces' statement, the operations targeted observation posts, forward command-and-control centres, weapons depots, supply sites and reinforcements.
In response, the Houthi military spokesman said Saudi warplanes had carried out 59 air strikes and missile attacks over 24 hours on sites in several governorates, claiming that the total number of strikes and attacks since the escalation began had reached 1857. Media outlets affiliated with the group also reported that Sana'a had come under air bombardment early on Friday.
The National Human Rights Authority affiliated with the Sana'a authorities accused Saudi aircraft of targeting civilian facilities and communications networks in Sana'a, Raymah, Al-Bayda, Ibb and Hodeidah during the previous wave of bombardment. The authority said two strikes had targeted a communications network in Bani Matar, while six strikes had hit networks in the city of Al-Bayda and the districts of Mukayras and Rada'a, in addition to seven strikes on the city of Yarim and one strike on Al-Khadra Mountain in Al-Sayani district.
Rashad Al-Alimi announces launch of Operation Dawn of Yemen
Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council President Rashad Al-Alimi announced the launch of Operation “Dawn of Yemen” on 5 October, saying its objectives included restoring state institutions and the capital Sana'a and ending Houthi control.
He said the operation was backed by the Saudi-led Coalition to Support Legitimacy, calling on civilians to stay away from military sites and gatherings.
The coalition spokesman, Major General Staff Turki Al-Maliki, announced that 100 fighter jets had taken part at the start of the operation and that 324 targets described as high-value had been destroyed. He pointed to continued air support for government forces on the ground and the provision of air protection for the Bab Al-Mandab Strait.
