On the night of March 18, 2025, the United States carried out a series of airstrikes on Yemen's capital Sana'a, the Houthi-controlled Al Masirah TV reported. According to the TV channel, American warplanes struck a number of sites in the city, which became another episode of the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. Intense explosions shook residential areas and key infrastructure points, causing panic among the local population. 

The strikes targeted military facilities controlled by the Ansar Allah (Houthi) movement, including missile depots and command posts, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said. The US military said the operation was aimed at weakening the Houthi militia's capabilities, which have stepped up attacks on military and merchant ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in recent months. According to Al Masirah, the bombings have caused civilian casualties, but exact figures on the number of dead and injured have not yet been released. 

Tensions in the region have risen sharply since the Iran-backed Houthis stepped up their response to the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip. On the night of March 17, US fighter jets shot down 11 drones launched by the Houthis toward the aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman, which, according to Reuters, was one of the reasons for the subsequent strikes. The Yemeni movement has said that its attacks on US and allied ships will continue until a ceasefire is reached in Gaza. 

The strikes on Sanaa were part of a larger operation launched by US forces on March 16 that included attacks on the capital, as well as the provinces of Dhamar, Saada, and Hajjah. The Houthis reported more than 30 deaths in the bombings, including women and children. Experts say the US is likely seeking to neutralize the threat to shipping in the strategically important region, but such actions risk further escalating the conflict in the Middle East.