Israel’s military has launched a series of airstrikes against military installations in Yemen, focusing on locations controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi movement, in retaliation for recent missile and drone assaults.
According to an Israeli military spokesperson, the strikes targeted strategic sites, including Red Sea ports and energy facilities in the capital city of Sanaa.
Reports indicate that nine individuals lost their lives in strikes at the port of Salif and the Ras Issa oil terminal located in Hudaydah province.
These military operations were initiated shortly after a missile from Yemen was partially intercepted over central Israel, with debris causing damage to a school in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv.
Since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, the Houthis have actively attacked Israel and international shipping routes, citing solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
Israeli military sources report that approximately 400 missiles and drones have been launched from Yemen, with the majority successfully intercepted by defense systems.
In the early hours of Thursday, residents in Tel Aviv and surrounding areas rushed to bomb shelters as air defenses intercepted an incoming missile.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the missile, launched from Yemen, was only partially neutralized, resulting in shrapnel hitting a school in Ramat Gan but thankfully no injuries reported.
Shortly after the attack, the IDF conducted precise airstrikes on Houthi military targets along Yemen’s coastline and inland regions.
Reports from Houthi-controlled Al Masirah indicate that Israeli strikes resulted in fatalities at the Salif port and Ras Issa oil terminal, with additional injuries reported in Hudaydah.
The director of the General Electricity Corporation in Yemen stated that the strikes have severely impacted the local electricity supply due to damage to key infrastructure.
IDF officials emphasized that these strikes were a necessary response to ongoing attacks from the Houthi movement, which poses a significant threat to regional peace and stability.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remarked that the Houthis represent Iran’s ongoing threat to Israel, warning that any aggression would result in severe repercussions.
Defence Minister Israel Katz further cautioned Houthi leaders that Israeli retaliatory measures would extend to them as well.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea reported that the group launched two advanced ballistic missiles targeting sensitive military sites in the Tel Aviv area, asserting that their objectives were successfully achieved.
Sarea stated that the recent Israeli assaults would not deter Yemenis from responding to perceived injustices, particularly in relation to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
This marks the third direct Israeli military intervention against the Houthis in just five months, as tensions continue to escalate in the region.
Past strikes from Israel have been triggered by Houthi attacks that resulted in casualties within Israel, demonstrating an ongoing cycle of retaliation.
Meanwhile, international forces, including those from allied nations, have conducted operations against Houthi military assets, aiming to secure shipping routes in the Red Sea and Gulf areas.
Since November 2023, the Houthis have launched numerous attacks on vessels in international waters, claiming these actions support the Palestinian struggle while often misrepresenting the nature of their targets.
