In the late evening of December 21st, alleged American airstrikes struck a residential neighborhood in the Hadda neighborhood in Sana’a, Yemen. At least two civilians were reportedly killed, and four named members of the Houthi Movement. At least two members of the Houthi Movement were also killed. A residential home, belonging to Youssef al-Madani, a Houthi member who was among those killed, was reportedly hit in the strike.

Posting to social media, individuals reported that a “command and control center” in the Hadda neighborhood of Sana’a had been hit. Facebook users Aseel hasham and Salah Al-Yafei wrote that the reported command and control center was “near Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar’s former home”. Salah Al-Yafei added that Ali Mohsen’s home was “near the Sam Hadda Hall” and included aerial imagery reportedly pointing out the site of the strikes. Facebook user Muhammad ibn Hazim expanded on the reference to Ali Mohsen’s home, writing that the home, which was “previously blown up in front of Sam Hall in Hadda city, [resulted] in many casualties because it was located in the middle of a residential neighborhood.” Muhammad added “May God have mercy on the civilians.”

Expanding on references to the “command and control center”, @ALyemennow, posting to Twitter/X, added that “high-ranking Houthi militia leaders” were also targeted. @ALyemennow closed the post writing that the alleged targeting of the militia leaders “[opens] the door to a new chapter of dealing with the militia.” Accompanying the post was an image, potentially taken from a residential home, showing two tall smoke plumes emerging from behind a series of other buildings in the distance.

A Facebook post shared by Adam moaoya the day after the strike reported that “Houthis request assistance to retrieve the bodies of their leaders from under the rubble of a house in Hadda, Sana’a”. He added that some were “wounded”, writing that “the Houthis have asked medical teams, ambulances, and their own personnel to retrieve the bodies of their dead and donate blood to save the wounded, who were attending a meeting at the Al-Madani house in the Hadda area, near the home of Mohsen Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar.” Outlined below, Youssef al-Madani was killed in the strike, and it was likely his home that was hit. As Adam wrote that “the wounded” were attending a meeting, and a preponderance of sources reported that a meeting of Houthi leaders was struck, “the wounded” have been recorded as belligerents. This will be updated should additional information come to light.

The post by Adam named Yahya Saree, the Houthi Spokesperson, as among those potentially killed. However, Yahya has continued to report in the days since the strike, so it appears he was not killed.

An image accompanying Adam’s post and shared by two other users, Ali Abu Huwaida and Moamawan named four Houthi members as among those killed: Hussein al-Azi, Abu Ali al-Hakem, Youssef al-Madani, and Abdalkhaleq al-Houthi.

Following the strikes, reports from @ALyemennow, @g_khamre, and Facebook users Aseel Al Sami and Bassam Abdul Waheeb Al Azzani said that Houthi militias were surrounding the site of the strikes, adding that ambulances “rushed to transport a number of the dead.” In line with Airwars’ methodology, as “the dead” referenced here were not clearly described as militant or civilian, the civilian fatality toll has been recorded as a minimum of two. This will be updated should additional information come to light.

Facebook posts shared by users Mohammed sultan, Abu Jamal, and Hope remains lost reported that the “raid in Hadda claimed many lives in the middle of a residential neighborhood.” In line with Airwars’ methodology, “many” should be recorded as a minimum of five and a maximum of ten. As a minimum of two has already been established, this report from Mohammed sultan informs the maximum number of fatalities, which has been recorded as 10. This will be updated should additional information become available.

Others, like Twitter/X user @a__alkumaim wrote that the Houthis “[prevented] anyone from approaching the villa that was bombed…while the recovery of the bodies continue.” @a__alkumaim added that this policy was a result of the group’s aim to “[maintain] strict secrecy to prevent any news about the incident from leaking.” Details regarding those killed and injured in the strike was likely regarded as sensitive as multiple sources, including @a__alkumaim, Adam moaoya, and Easy Saleh Balaid, reported that Houthi leaders were meeting inside the home that was struck.

Posting to Facebook on the 22nd, the day after the strike, Mohammed Abdullah Al-Kumaim wrote that “eyewitnesses” reported that the “area where the house was struck last night in occupied Sana’a, in the Haddah neighborhood of the Sab’een District, remains surrounded by armored vehicles and armed personnel, and no one is allowed to pass through it.” He used the presence of the armed personnel to say that “This confirms that the strike hit important targets and decapitated several prominent figures.”

Another Facebook users Easy Saleh Balaid and Abo ahad reiterated that “The Houthis are preventing anyone from approaching the villa that was bombed in the Hadda neighborhood of Sana’a, while the recovery of bodies continues.”

Where sources referenced a belligerent, all sources attributed responsibility to U.S. Forces.

The incident occured in the evening.