Unidentified drones spark anti-aircraft fire over Yemen's Sanaa

Unidentified drones flew over Yemen's capital Sanaa on Friday, prompting Houthi forces to fire anti-aircraft weapons and sparking explosions that spread fear among residents in multiple neighborhoods. Local residents told Anadolu Agency they spotted the aircraft over areas including Saawan and Al-Hasaba in the northeast of the city, with anti-aircraft fire causing loud blasts. "explosions, air defense fire and gunshots were heard early Friday in the capital Sanaa," Yemen's independent Belqees news website reported, quoting residents who said "the sounds of explosions and gunfire did not stop, causing fear and concern among residents, with the reasons remaining unclear."

Houthi air defense activation

Houthi-affiliated media outlets and social media accounts stated that the group's "air defense systems were activated to counter drones flying heavily" over the capital. The Iran-aligned group did not immediately issue an official comment on the incident, and the identity of the drone operators remained unconfirmed. No casualties or damage were immediately reported from the anti-aircraft fire, which continued intermittently throughout the early morning hours.

Renewed escalation

The incident comes amid renewed military escalation in Yemen since July, the most extensive in years following a period of relative calm after an April 2022 truce collapsed. Yemen has been at war since the Houthis seized control of Sanaa and several provinces in September 2014, before a Saudi-led coalition intervened in March 2015 in support of Yemen's internationally recognized government. The conflict has killed thousands and displaced millions, creating one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.