Israel Airstrikes on Yemen’s Hodeidah in Response to Houthi Drone Attack on Tel Aviv
On Saturday, Israel launched airstrikes on Yemen’s Red Sea port city of Hodeidah following a drone attack by the Houthi militia that killed one person and injured at least ten others in Tel Aviv. This marked a significant escalation in the conflict, bringing Israel directly into the Yemen war for the first time.
The catalyst for Israel’s military action was a Houthi drone attack that successfully bypassed Israeli air defenses and struck a building in Tel Aviv on Friday.
The Houthis, who have aligned themselves with Iran and consider themselves Yemen’s official armed forces, claimed responsibility for the attack.
They stated that it was a retaliatory move against Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The drone strike was seen as a major security breach, and Israeli officials vowed to respond decisively.
In the wake of the Tel Aviv attack, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, alongside IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and other senior defense officials, convened a meeting to discuss and approve operational plans to strike Houthi targets in Yemen.
The decision was made to target oil refining facilities and energy infrastructure in Hodeidah, a city under Houthi control.
The strikes were intended to hit military targets, according to the Israeli military, but reports from the Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV indicated that the air raids resulted in casualties and significant damage to oil storage facilities and a power plant.
Gallant issued a stern warning, stating, “Israel will settle the score with anyone who harms its security. The Houthi attack on Tel Aviv was a clear act of aggression, and we will not stand idly by.”
The United States and the United Kingdom have been conducting airstrikes in Yemen for several months in an attempt to curb Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes, yet these efforts have not completely halted the assaults.
The recent Israeli airstrikes, however, were carried out independently, according to a senior American source cited by Israeli journalist Barak Ravid. This move signals Israel’s willingness to take direct action against threats emanating from Yemen.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken commented on the situation, saying, “We support Israel’s right to defend itself against threats to its security. The Houthi attacks on Israeli soil are unacceptable and must be addressed.”
The aftermath of the strikes saw explosions and fires in Hodeidah, with reports of both fatalities and injuries.
Yemeni health officials confirmed that a number of people had been killed or wounded, and several individuals suffered burns due to the strikes. The Houthis, in their broadcast, condemned the Israeli attacks and highlighted the human toll and infrastructural damage caused.
A spokesperson for the Houthis declared, “These Israeli raids will not go unpunished. We have the capability to respond and will continue to defend our nation against foreign aggression.”
This development adds a new dimension to the ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts, intertwining the Yemen war with the broader regional tensions involving Israel, Iran, and their respective allies.