The Israeli military announced it conducted airstrikes on the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yemen, in response to attacks by the Houthi group.
These strikes followed a Houthi-claimed drone attack that killed one person and injured ten in Tel Aviv. Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV reported that the Israeli attack targeted oil storage facilities and a power plant, resulting in casualties, including fatalities.
Israel stated it hit “military targets.”
This marks Israel’s first direct attack on the Houthis since the Gaza war began, raising concerns of increased regional violence.
The Houthi Supreme Political Council vowed to respond, while Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdelsalam condemned the attack as an attempt to pressure Yemen into halting its support for Gaza. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree warned of potential attacks on Israeli targets.
Hamas and Hezbollah condemned the Israeli strikes, with Hamas predicting escalating violence and Hezbollah describing the attack as a dangerous escalation.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant praised the attack as a warning, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that the port was used for smuggling Iranian weapons to the Houthis.
Yemeni journalist Yousef Mawry reported fears of fuel shortages in Sanaa due to the strikes on public facilities.
The Houthis, aligned with Iran, have been targeting Red Sea shipping lanes to pressure Israel to end its Gaza offensive, which has resulted in significant Palestinian casualties.
Despite U.S. and U.K. airstrikes in Yemen, Houthi attacks have continued.
