Smotrich wrote on X that the protests are “trying to force Israel to surrender to its enemies and endanger the state’s security,” adding that the actual number of protesters “who chose to hurt Israelis’ daily routine” is relatively low.

Open gallery view Protesters blocking Ayalon Highway in central Tel Aviv on Sunday. The sign to the right reads “Conquering Gaza = Murdering the hostages.” Credit: Tomer Appelbaum

Likud MK and Finance Committee chair, Hanoch Milwidsky, who is currently under investigation for rape allegations, said that the protests are “riots supporting Hamas.”

“Israelis are burning the country in an attempt to prevent the destruction of Hamas. They were attempts such as these made by our people throughout history, and we overcame them. Such will be the case now as well.”

Culture Minister Miki Zohar said that the disruption of civilians’ lives is a “prize to the enemy, who sees the pictures this morning and revels in joy.”

“The rage and protests must be aimed at international pressure against Hamas,” Zohar wrote on X, “so that it releases our loved ones, and not at those who are doing everything to bring [the hostages] home.”

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Smoke billows on the horizon following an Israeli airstrike on Yemen

At least two explosions were heard in the Yemeni capital Sanaa near a power station, residents said early on Sunday.

The IDF struck an energy infrastructure site that was used by the Houthis in Yemen, the military confirmed on Sunday morning.

According to the IDF, the strikes were conducted in response to repeated attacks by Houthis against Israel and Israeli civilians, including launching surface-to-surface missiles and drones towards Israeli territory.

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Army Radio reported that the Israeli Navy struck in Yemen and targeted the Haziz power station. The report compared the strike to an earlier one this year in the port of Hodediah.

Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reported earlier that a power plant south of the Yemeni capital Sanaa was hit by an “aggression,” knocking some of its generators out of service.

The Yemeni channel did not identify the source of the reported “aggression.”

Teams were working to put out a fire caused by the incident, Al Masirah added, citing a source in civil defense as saying.

At least two explosions were heard earlier in Sanaa, residents said.

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Videos of the explosion showed clouds of smoke and flames erupting from an unidentified structure.

Houthis have been striking Israel for months

Israel has been carrying out air strikes in Yemen in response to the Houthis’ attacks on Israel.

The Yemeni group has been firing missiles towards Israel, most of which have been intercepted, in what they describe as support to Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas War.

The US and the UK had also previously launched attacks against the Houthis in Yemen.

In May, the US announced a surprise deal with the Houthis where it agreed to stop a bombing campaign against them in return for an end to the group’s shipping attacks, though the Houthis said the deal did not include sparing Israel.

Residents of the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, reported hearing at least two explosions early this Sunday, August 17, near the Hazeem power station south of the city, while local media indicated that the explosions were caused by “Israeli airstrikes”.

The Reuters agency quoted eyewitnesses confirming they heard loud explosions near the electrical facility, with no reports of human casualties so far.

In a swift reaction, a member of the political bureau of the Ansar Allah (Houthis) group, Hazem Al-Asad, accused Israel of targeting civilian facilities, writing in a post on the “X” platform:”A criminal and bankrupt enemy, targeting only service facilities and civilian objects: electricity, water…”.

This attack comes amid a mutual military escalation between Israel and the Houthis, as Israeli airstrikes on Yemen began in July 2024, targeting vital sites such as the port of Hodeidah and Sana’a International Airport.

For their part, the Houthis continue to launch drone and missile attacks towards Israel, claiming to support Gaza. On August 9, the group announced carrying out 3 drone attacks targeting Jaffa, Ashkelon, and Beersheba, according to military spokesman Yahya Saree.

The confrontations have escalated since the outbreak of the war in Gaza in October 2023, where Israel, with American support, has launched a military campaign that has resulted in the martyrdom of more than 61,000 Palestinians, while the Houthis retaliate by targeting ships linked to Israel in the Red Sea, asserting that their operations are “support for the Palestinians”.

It is worth mentioning that the Israeli army recently announced intercepting Houthi drones without sounding alarms, while most of the missiles and drones launched by the Houthis towards Israeli territories are intercepted.

The cause of the explosions is unclear at this stage, but one report claimed they were the result of an Israeli strike.

Hezam Al-Assad, a member of the Houthi political bureau, wrote on social media platform X, “A criminal enemy that targets only service facilities and civilian infrastructure – electricity and water.”

At this time, Israel is not commenting on the reports.

The CEO of Yemen’s Electricity Company, Mishaal Al-Rifi, claimed that power stations in the city were bombed, resulting in a temporary power outage in the capital.

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Israeli Army Radio reported on Sunday that the Israeli Navy carried out strikes targeting energy infrastructure belonging to the Houthis in Yemen. According to the report, the attack was launched using missile boats.

Earlier the same day, residents in the Yemeni capital Sanaa said they heard two powerful explosions near a power station in the southern Haziz area. Witnesses told the German Press Agency (DPA) that flames were seen rising from the site, though details remain unclear.

Houthi-affiliated media outlets claimed that Israeli airstrikes hit electricity stations in Sanaa, temporarily cutting off power supplies in parts of the capital.

While reports initially suggested that Israeli warplanes were behind the blasts, Israeli Army Radio clarified that the air force did not carry out strikes on Sanaa.

The explosions mark the first major incident in Sanaa after more than a month of relative calm. In recent weeks, Israel has conducted airstrikes on Houthi targets in response to the group’s drone and missile attacks on Tel Aviv and on international shipping routes in the Red Sea.