Israeli airstrike hits Houthi leaders' secret meeting place in Yemeni capital: source

SANAA -- An Israeli airstrike on Saturday night hit a house in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, where a "secret meeting of senior Houthi leaders" was allegedly taking place, according to a source close to the Houthi group.

The house, located in southern Sanaa, was cordoned off by heavy Houthi security forces as ambulances rushed to the scene.

Local anti-Houthi media reported on social media that the meeting was chaired by Mahdi al-Mashat, head of the Supreme Political Council, and Abdulkarim al-Gumari, the Houthi military chief of staff.

Other media sources reported that the secret meeting was also attended by top Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi; the head of the Houthi Supreme Revolutionary Committee, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi; and the Houthi military intelligence chief, Abu Ali al-Hakim.

The Houthis have yet to issue an official statement.

Residents living near the targeted house told Xinhua they saw at least 10 charred bodies at the scene.

The Houthi group, who controls much of northern Yemen, has been targeting Israel since November 2023 in a show of solidarity with the Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

The group has strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli attacks on Iran, vowing in a statement that it would intensify long-range missile attacks against Israel.