NN ONLINE:
Hundreds attended funeral services Tuesday for 31 Yemeni journalists reportedly killed in Israeli airstrikes last week targeting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Sanaa, the capital.
The strikes followed a Houthi-launched drone that penetrated Israel’s multilayered air defenses and struck a southern Israeli airport, shattering windows and injuring one person. In Yemen, dozens were killed, including the journalists, in attacks on residential areas, a military headquarters, and a fuel station, according to the health ministry in rebel-held northern Yemen.
The National Museum of Yemen in Sanaa was also damaged, with footage showing the building’s façade impacted, and a government facility in Hazm, the capital of northern Jawf province, was hit.
Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV broadcast the funerals, showing dozens inside a mosque as caskets were carried for burial with an honor guard standing beside them. Attendance was lower than expected, likely due to heavy morning rain, according to attendees Khaled Rageh and Ahmed Malhy.
Israel has previously conducted waves of airstrikes in response to Houthi missile and drone attacks, which the Houthis say are in solidarity with Palestinians amid the Gaza war. The group has also targeted ships in the Red Sea for more than 22 months.
The Committee to Protect Journalists told AP that it is investigating the reported deaths but is facing difficulties verifying facts in rebel-held Sanaa, citing strict censorship by Houthi authorities, including bans on sharing photos or videos related to the strikes.
Human Rights Watch said the Israeli airstrikes also hit a media center housing two newspapers, highlighting the dangers journalists face in Yemen from both domestic and external warring parties. Yemen analyst Mohammed al-Basha noted on X that the attacks struck as staffers at the “September 26” newspaper gathered to prepare the next edition.
