Air raids resume on Sanaa as Yemen’s government launches Operation Dawn
Air strikes hit Sanaa after the government announced Operation Dawn of Yemen, killing a child and wounding civilians, sparking fear of renewed war.
Midnight air raids battered Yemen’s capital Sanaa after Rashid al-Alimi declared the start of Operation Dawn of Yemen, a campaign to seize the city from Houthi control. Because government ground forces remain far from the capital, the offensive relies on air attacks, which have already caused civilian casualties, including a child killed and seven wounded in Sa’wan and two airport workers killed. Citizens like courier Ghamadan Abood describe growing fear that any neighbourhood could be hit, prompting stockpiling of essentials amid concerns of rising prices and fuel shortages.
The United Nations’ World Food Programme warns that three-quarters of families in parts of Yemen are already facing hunger, and displacement exceeds 200,000 people. Analysts doubt the government’s ability to capture Sanaa quickly, noting scattered forces and outdated equipment, while the Saudi-led coalition cites the strikes as necessary to curb Houthi missile launches at Saudi targets.
Why it matters
The renewed bombing of Sanaa threatens civilians and could deepen Yemen’s humanitarian crisis.
How this story developed
- Oct 3 Fire and thick smoke reported near Saudi Aramco site in Riyadh
- Oct 7 Government‑aligned troops announced the seizure of the highest summit in Jabal Habashi district, Taiz.
- Oct 7 Pakistani Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmud was appointed the pact’s inaugural secretary‑general.
- Oct 7 Houthis launched missiles at Aden International Airport, causing no casualties.
- Oct 8 Saudi-led coalition announced a comprehensive operation that destroyed dozens of Houthi military sites in Yemen.
- Oct 8 Airlines such as Air India, Air India Express, Lufthansa and IndiGo suspended Riyadh flights until early October.
- Oct 9 Latest statements shift the focus from reported troop deployments to an assessment of defensive equipment assistance.
- Oct 9 Lufthansa announced it will pause its Riyadh flights.
- Oct 9 Death toll confirmed at three Saudi nationals.
- Oct 10 An emergency session on Oct 5 invoked the collective‑defence clause, allowing Turkey and Pakistan to consider dispatching forces to Saudi Arabia.
- Oct 10 A blast was reported at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, prompting an evacuation, with no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
- Oct 10 A second missile strike on the same airport occurred within the week, leading to renewed flight cancellations and heightened travel warnings.
- Oct 11 Death toll rises to 12 and injuries exceed 300.
- Oct 11 He added that GCC members stand united alongside Saudi Arabia, expressing full support for all measures undertaken to protect its security, sovereignty, and the safety of its citizens and residents.
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