Israel conducted air strikes on the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah in Yemen after a drone attack on Tel Aviv. This marks the first direct Israeli response to numerous Yemeni drone and missile attacks in recent months.
Detailed Report:
In a significant escalation of regional tensions, Israel has launched air strikes on the Houthi-controlled Red Sea port of Hodeidah in Yemen. This action comes a day after a drone, reportedly launched by the Houthis, struck Tel Aviv.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant emphasized the strategic message behind the strikes, stating, “The fire currently burning in Hodeidah is seen across the Middle East and its significance is clear.”
Houthi official Mohammed Abdulsalam condemned the air strikes as a “brutal Israeli aggression against Yemen.” He suggested the strikes were intended to coerce the Houthis into ceasing their support for Palestinians in Gaza, a demand he asserted would be resisted.
This event marks Israel’s first direct military retaliation to what it claims have been hundreds of Yemeni drone and missile attacks on its territory in recent months. Footage from Hodeidah showed extensive fires, with the Houthi-run government in Sanaa reporting that Israel targeted oil storage facilities and a nearby power plant. The Houthi health ministry reported 80 injuries, predominantly severe burns, without confirming any fatalities.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement confirming the operation, codenamed Outstretched Arm, and detailing that Israeli Air Force fighter jets conducted a comprehensive strike on Houthi military targets over 1,800 kilometers away. The IDF asserted its capability to operate wherever necessary to neutralize threats to Israelis.
Minister Gallant remarked on the necessity of the strikes, stating, “The Houthis attacked us over 200 times. The first time that they harmed an Israeli citizen, we struck them. And we will do this in any place where it may be required.”
Following the attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared in a televised address that Israel would defend itself “by all means” and warned that any aggression against Israel would be met with a heavy price. He also suggested the port of Hodeidah serves as an entry point for Iranian weapons, underscoring the strategic importance of the strikes.
On Friday, a block of flats in Tel Aviv was hit by an Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), modified for long-distance flight, which the Houthis claimed responsibility for. This attack resulted in the death of a 50-year-old man recently moved from Belarus and injured eight others. The Israeli military acknowledged that the drone had been detected but not intercepted due to “human error.”
Historically, most Houthi missiles and drones aimed at Israel have been intercepted, with none previously reaching Tel Aviv. The Houthi Supreme Political Council vowed an “effective response” to the airstrikes.
While this is Israel’s first strike on the Houthis in Yemen, the US and UK have been conducting air strikes against the group to prevent attacks on commercial shipping in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. The Houthis have previously targeted ships they believed were connected to Israel, although many had no Israeli links, and recent attacks have included vessels associated with the UK and US.
