Israeli Strikes in Yemen Kill 31 Journalists, CPJ Reports Deadliest Attack in Region

Deadly Airstrikes Hit Yemeni Media Outlets

Recent Israeli airstrikes on September 10, 2025, struck two newspaper offices in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, leading to the deaths of 31 journalists and media support workers. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported that the attack, which occurred at approximately 4:45 p.m. local time, was the deadliest against journalists in the Middle East and the second-deadliest globally since the 2009 Maguindanao massacre in the Philippines. In addition to the fatalities, 22 journalists were injured, and a child accompanying one journalist to work was also killed. The Houthi Health Ministry reported a total of 35 people killed and 131 wounded in the strikes.

CPJ Condemns 'Murders' and Calls for Accountability

The CPJ has classified the killings as 'murders — deliberate targeting of journalists for their work,' emphasizing that killing journalists or media workers, even those affiliated with armed groups, violates international humanitarian law unless they are directly participating in hostilities. The targeted complex housed three Houthi-connected media outlets, including the offices of the '26 September' newspaper, the official outlet of the Yemeni army, and the 'Yemen' newspaper. Nasser Al-Khadri, editor-in-chief of '26 September,' described the event as an 'unprecedented massacre of journalists' and a 'brutal and unjustified attack that targeted innocent people whose only crime was working in the media field, armed with nothing but their pens and words.' He also noted the destruction of the newspaper's archives, which contained significant historical records of Yemen.

IDF Justifies Strikes as Targeting Propaganda

In response to the incident, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement asserting that it had targeted the Houthi military public relations headquarters. The IDF claimed this facility was 'responsible for distributing and disseminating pro-Houthi propaganda messages' and 'psychological terror.' The strikes were presented as retaliation for ongoing Houthi attacks against Israel. This event is part of a broader pattern of conflict in the region, with Houthi forces repeatedly launching attacks on Israel in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza since October 7, 2023.

Broader Context of Journalist Fatalities

The CPJ has highlighted a concerning trend, stating that 'since October 7, 2023, Israel has emerged as a regional killer of journalists,' citing repeated incidents across Gaza, Lebanon, Iran, and now Yemen. The organization accuses Israel of a 'longstanding pattern of labeling journalists as terrorists or propagandists to justify their killings.' This latest incident in Sanaa marks an escalation, extending the impact on journalism beyond the immediate conflict zones.