Yemen on fire after massive Israeli air raid on capital and ports sparks raging infernos

The air strikes caused a raging inferno to break out (Image: Social media)

Israel's military carried out a series of devastating strikes on targets connected to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Three ports along the western coast and Sanaa International Airport came under attack on Thursday.

Jets bombed the Hezyaz and Ras Kanatib power stations as well as military infrastructure in the ports of Hodeidah, Salif and Ras Kanatib.

A total of three people were killed and 11 others were injured during the bombardments.

The air strikes targeted Sanaa airport and three ports (Image: Social media)

Two died in the strikes on the airport and one person was killed at one of the ports.

Unverified video footage circulating on social media shows what appears to be one of the ports engulfed by a raging inferno.

The head of the World Health Organisation narrowly escaped death, as he waited for his flight to depart Sanaa airport moments before the attack.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he was about to board a flight from Sanaa with UN and WHO staff when "the airport came under aerial bombardment".

"One of our plane's crew members was injured," he wrote in a post to his X account.

He added: "At least two people were reported killed at the airport.

"The air traffic control tower, the departure lounge - just a few meters from where we were - and the runway were damaged."

Dr Ghebreyesus said he and his colleagues were safe and sent "our heartfelt condolences" to the relatives of those who died.

Israel's prime minister confirmed the attacks, vowing to carry out more until the "task is complete".

Benjamin Netanyahu said: "We are determined to sever this terror arm of Iran's axis.

"We will persist in this until we complete the task."

The Israeli attack appears to be in response to a Houthi missile strike on Tel Aviv over the weekend, which injured 16 people.