Fresh violence in Gaza and Yemen raises wider Middle East escalation fears

Dubai,UPDATED: Sep 10, 2026 13:08 IST

Fresh violence was reported from Gaza and Yemen on Thursday, with an Israeli strike in northern Gaza killing at least four people, including two children, and a media outlet controlled by Iran-backed Houthi rebels claiming that Saudi-backed forces had carried out a new wave of airstrikes.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the Gaza strike, while the claim from Yemen could not be independently verified. The reported incidents come amid a fragile ceasefire in Gaza and heightened fighting in Yemen, with warnings of a wider escalation in the region.

In Gaza, Shifa hospital said two children were among those killed in the Israeli strike on the northern community of Beit Lahiya, where the bodies were taken. The strike took place early on Thursday.

A new statement from the Israeli military said its forces on Wednesday struck Hamas weapons storage facilities in three areas across Gaza. The military has previously said it carries out strikes in response to threats against its forces under the ceasefire that has been in place since October.

In Yemen, Al-Masirah TV, which is controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, said Saudi-backed forces launched 40 airstrikes in recent hours in Taiz, Jawf, Hodeida and Marib provinces. The Associated Press said it could not independently verify the claim, and there was no immediate comment from those forces.

Warnings have been growing about a major escalation as the Houthis clash with Yemeni government forces backed by Saudi Arabia, while also attacking oil facilities and utilities in neighbouring Saudi Arabia. The fighting is adding pressure on global oil shipments, with the Houthis targeting shipping and infrastructure linked to the flow of oil through the Red Sea, while the US-Iran war has limited shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

Overall, the latest developments point to continuing instability in both Gaza and Yemen, with deaths reported in the Israeli strike and fresh claims of air attacks in Yemen adding to concerns over a broader regional escalation.

With PTI Inputs

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