ADEN, Yemen (AP) — Hundreds attended funeral services Tuesday in for 31 Yemeni journalists who were reported killed in Israeli airstrikes last week that targeted Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the capital of Sanaa.
The strikes last Wednesday followed a drone launched by the Houthis that breached Israel’s multilayered air defenses and slammed into a southern Israeli airport, blowing out glass windows and injuring one person.
In Yemen, dozens were reported killed, including the journalists, in the strikes that hit Sanaa, including residential areas, a military headquarters and a fuel station, according to the health ministry in the rebel-held northern part of Yemen.
The National Museum of Yemen was also damaged in Sanaa, according to the rebels’ culture ministry, with footage from the site showings damage to the building’s façade. A government facility in the city of Hazm, the capital of northern Jawf province, was also hit.
Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV broadcast the funerals Tuesday, showing dozens inside a mosque and the caskets being carried ahead of the burial.
The turnout was lower than expected for such a a “huge loss,” according to Khaled Rageh and Ahmed Malhy, who attended the funerals, likely because heavy morning rain kept some away. The two men spoke to The Associated Press by phone.
Israel has previously launched waves of airstrikes in response to the Houthis’ firing missiles and drones at Israel. The Houthis say they are supporting Hamas and the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The Houthis have launched missiles and drones toward Israel and targeted ships in the Red Sea for over 22 months, saying they are attacking in solidarity with Palestinians amid the war in Gaza.
