AFP correspondents in Sanaa heard explosions and saw plumes of smoke rising from three locations in the Sanaa area, in the latest retaliatory attack since the Huthis began targeting Israel in the wake of the Gaza war.

The Huthis' Al-Masirah television channel reported "Israeli aggression" on Sanaa, which came moments before the network began broadcasting rebel leader Abdul Malik al-Huthi's weekly pre-recorded speech.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a post on X that Israel had "just dealt a powerful blow to numerous terror targets of the Huthi terror organisation in Sanaa".

An Israeli military statement said the targets included the Huthis' general staff headquarters, other security and intelligence sites including some used to store weapons and "plan and execute" attacks on Israel.

It added that the rebels' "military public relations headquarters" was also targeted.

Katz said the Israeli forces had "struck several military camps... eliminated dozens of Huthi terror operatives, and destroyed stockpiles of UAVs (drones) and weaponry".

The military statement warned that Israel would "conduct additional offensive operations against the Huthi regime in the near future".

On Wednesday, Israel's military said a drone launched from Yemen struck the southern tourist resort of Eilat, with rescuers reporting 22 wounded, after failed attempts to intercept it.

The Huthis later claimed responsibility for the attack, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Katz warned of a severe response.

The Iran-backed Huthi rebels began targeting Israel with missiles and drones, as well as attacking vessels they deem linked to the country, after the 2023 start of the Gaza war.

The Huthis say they act in solidarity with Palestinians.

Israel in response has carried out strikes in Yemen, mainly targeting infrastructure such as ports, power stations and Sanaa's international airport.

In August, Israel assassinated the head of the Huthi government Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi together with other senior officials.

Earlier this month, Israeli strikes killed 46 people, according to Huthi authorities.

The dead include journalists working for the September 26 and al-Yaman newspapers, who were killed in an attack on Sanaa that targeted the Huthi's military media operation.

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