Sana'a: In a new escalation in the region, Israel confirmed on Friday that it carried out airstrikes targeting the Yemeni ports of Hodeidah and as-Salif.
The Israeli military claimed the strikes aimed at “terrorist infrastructure” used by Yemen's Houthi rebels to transfer weapons, following the interception of missiles reportedly launched from Yemen towards Israel earlier this week.
The Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV also reported the airstrikes but provided no immediate details on casualties or the extent of damage.
This marks the first Israeli strike on Yemen since a recent truce was brokered between the Houthi group and the United States. That agreement included a halt to Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping and a suspension of U.S. airstrikes in Yemen. However, Israel was not a party to that ceasefire.
The Houthis have consistently expressed support for Palestinians amid Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which began in October 2023. In response, the group has launched numerous projectiles toward Israel. Israeli Defense officials say that since the collapse of a ceasefire with Hamas in March, the Houthis have fired at least 34 missiles.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that the airstrikes are “just the beginning” and accused Iran of orchestrating Houthi actions. He vowed to intensify Israeli military responses, including targeting Houthi leadership and infrastructure.
Defense Minister Israel Katz echoed the tough rhetoric, threatening to eliminate Houthi leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi if attacks on Israel continue. He likened al-Houthi's potential fate to that of high-ranking leaders from Hamas and Hezbollah, several of whom were reportedly killed by Israeli strikes over the past year.
