Hidden Strikes Expand Against Houthi Military Sites in Sanaa, Amran and Hajjah
The latest attacks widen a pattern of covert strikes against Houthi military infrastructure, amid Israeli threats, Houthi preparations for a Red Sea maneuver, and growing concerns inside the group over intelligence penetration.
Several Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen were hit by a new wave of unknown strikes on Friday, targeting military sites in Sanaa, Amran, Hajjah and other areas, according to local information.
The latest attacks mark an expansion of a pattern of undisclosed strikes against Houthi military infrastructure in northern Yemen. No party has claimed responsibility for the operation so far, and the extent of material losses or casualties remains unclear.
Local information indicates that the strikes targeted sites linked to Houthi military deployment, storage facilities and missile-related infrastructure. The reported targeting of Hajjah is particularly significant because parts of the governorate have been associated with military positions and launch routes connected to Red Sea operations. Amran, north of Sanaa, also represents a key rear military depth for the group and a corridor toward Saada.
The timing of the strikes raises the possibility that they may be linked to Israeli calculations, especially after public Houthi threats against Israel and Israeli-linked maritime navigation in the Red Sea. The Houthis have recently claimed attacks on Israel and declared a ban on Israeli maritime navigation in the Red Sea, warning of further escalation. Reuters reported in June that the Iran-aligned group said it would ban Israeli maritime navigation in the Red Sea after claiming an attack on Israel.
This possibility remains unconfirmed. However, the nature of the targets, the geographic spread of the strikes, and the absence of an official claim of responsibility are consistent with a covert pressure pattern aimed at degrading Houthi missile, drone and command infrastructure without immediately opening a declared front.
The new wave also comes shortly after Sheba Intelligence reported that the Houthis were planning a naval maneuver simulating the closure of Bab al-Mandab. According to the report, the planned maneuver appeared to be part of contingency preparations in case the regional conflict expanded, particularly around the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
That context gives Hajjah and other western and northern military sites added importance. Any Houthi move to simulate or prepare for closing Bab al-Mandab would require coordination between coastal assets, missile units, drone capabilities, command centers and inland storage or launch areas. Strikes on military sites in Sanaa, Amran and Hajjah may therefore be aimed at disrupting the group’s ability to link inland missile infrastructure with maritime escalation.
The attacks also connect with a separate Sheba Intelligence report on a recent Houthi intelligence meeting in Sanaa. That report said the meeting focused on the group’s internal security environment amid growing fears of intelligence penetration and possible targeted strikes.
According to Sheba’s earlier reporting, Houthi security and intelligence figures discussed measures including raising internal readiness, tracking suspected informants, investigating possible infiltration around senior leaders, and relocating important figures away from exposed sites. The latest strikes may reinforce those fears, particularly if the targeted sites were sensitive, recently moved, or linked to missile and drone operations.
Sheba Intelligence had also reported earlier that hidden strikes targeted Houthi military sites in Sanaa and key missile areas. The suspected targets in that wave included storage sites, fortified facilities, command rooms, communications points, drone-related assets and sensitive military locations.
The renewed strikes suggest that Houthi military infrastructure is facing sustained pressure across several layers: leadership security, missile deployment, drone operations, storage networks and Red Sea-linked military preparations. The geographic expansion from Sanaa to Amran and Hajjah indicates that the pressure is no longer limited to isolated targets inside the capital but may be moving toward the group’s broader northern military depth.
While the identity of the force behind the strikes remains unknown, the timing gives the attacks a clear regional dimension. They came amid Houthi threats toward Israel, renewed concern over Red Sea navigation, and reports of Houthi planning for a maneuver that would simulate the closure of Bab al-Mandab.
For now, the strikes appear to serve two possible purposes: first, to degrade Houthi military assets linked to missiles, drones and command-and-control systems; and second, to send a warning that any move toward wider maritime escalation could expose the group’s inland military network to further covert targeting.