The United States Air Force carried out a series of strikes on an air base located in the northern part of Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, local sources associated with the Houthi movement that controls the city reported on March 31, 2025. The attack was part of Washington's ongoing military campaign against the Iran-backed rebels and has caused a new wave of tension in the region. According to preliminary data, the strikes were carried out using combat aircraft and possibly drones, but the exact details of the operation, including the amount of equipment involved and the scale of destruction, have not yet been disclosed by the American side.

The Al-Dailami airbase, which was the target of the attack, is next to Sanaa International Airport and has long been used by the Houthis as a military facility. Local residents said they heard loud explosions and flashes of light in the area on the night of the strikes. Houthi Al Masirah TV described the US action as “brutal and barbaric,” saying part of the base’s infrastructure was set ablaze. Rebel officials have not yet provided information on casualties or damage, but have promised retaliation, a move that could further escalate the conflict.

The strike is not the first in a series of attacks on Yemen in March 2025. Since mid-month, US air forces have stepped up operations against the Houthis in response to their threats to resume attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. The conflict escalated after the rebels announced their intention to attack ships linked to Israel in retaliation for the blockade of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip. Since then, the US has carried out dozens of raids across the country, including in the provinces of Saada, Amran and Hodeida, destroying weapons depots, command centres and drone production facilities. According to the Houthi Ministry of Health, at least 15 people have been killed and more than 79 wounded in US strikes since March 100, including civilians.

The US campaign in Yemen is currently gaining momentum. On the night of March 29, the air force attacked more than 40 targets in different regions, including the capital district, damaging residential buildings and wounding seven people, according to Al Masirah. The Pentagon says the strikes are aimed at weakening the Houthis’ military capabilities and protecting freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, through which up to 15% of global maritime trade passes. National Security Advisor Mike Walz noted that the latest attacks have killed key rebel leaders, including the head of their missile program, although the Houthis have not confirmed these losses.