Hundreds attend funeral in Yemen for 31 reporters said killed in Israeli airstrikes

Hundreds attend funeral services in Yemen for 31 local journalists reported killed in Israeli airstrikes last week that targeted the Houthi terror group in the capital of Sanaa.

The strikes last Wednesday came after a drone launched by the Iran-backed Houthis breached Israel’s multilayered air defenses and slammed into the Ramon Airport in the south, 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 northern part of Yemen, which is controlled by the terror group.

The Israeli army said last week that it struck sites used by the Houthis to gather intelligence and attack Israel, a fuel storage facility, and a “public relations department responsible for distributing propaganda messages in the media.”

The National Museum of Yemen was also damaged in Sanaa, according to the Houthis’ 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 “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.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.