Israel Strikes Houthi Targets in Yemen Following Deadly Drone Attack
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The Israeli military announced it bombed sites in Yemen linked to the Iran-backed Houthi militias in retaliation for a deadly drone attack on Tel Aviv on Friday. On Saturday, Israeli forces targeted “military targets” over 1600 km away in Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah in response to “hundreds of aerial threats,” including the attack that killed an Israeli man and wounded 10 others.
This marks the first time Israel has publicly acknowledged striking Yemen amidst escalating attacks from the Houthis. The military claimed this operation as one of the furthest strikes ever conducted by the Israeli Air Force.
Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam condemned the strikes, calling them “blatant Israeli aggression against Yemen” and claiming they targeted civilian infrastructure, oil tanks, and an electricity station in the strategic port city. He argued that these actions aimed to increase the suffering of the Yemeni people and pressure Yemen into halting its support for Gaza. He asserted that these attacks would only “increase the determination” of the Yemeni people and their armed forces.
Mohamed Ali al-Houthi of Yemen’s Supreme Political Council and Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree both vowed impactful retaliation against Israel. The Ministry of Health in Sanaa reported that 80 people were wounded, most with severe burns. Houthi-affiliated al Masirah TV later reported that the Israeli strikes killed three people and injured 87.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the strike was a direct response to the Houthis’ attack on Tel Aviv, which killed 50-year-old Israeli citizen Yevgeny Ferder and injured 10 others. Netanyahu emphasized the strategic importance of the port used by the Houthis for military purposes and as an entry point for weapons supplied by Iran. He declared that Israel’s reach knows no bounds.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant noted that the Houthis have struck Israel “over 200 times.” He affirmed that Israel’s response to harm against its citizens would be decisive and far-reaching.
The drone attack by Houthi rebels in Tel Aviv resulted in one fatality and at least 10 injuries near the US Embassy early Friday. Despite previous interceptions of projectiles from Yemen, an “error” in air defences led to the drone reaching its target without triggering air raid sirens.
Since January, British and American forces have been targeting Houthi positions in Yemen in response to attacks on commercial shipping. These strikes, intended as retaliation for Israel’s actions in Gaza, have had limited deterrence on the Iran-backed group. Concurrently, Israeli strikes in Gaza killed at least 13 people in refugee camps overnight, as ceasefire talks in Cairo showed progress.
Israel launched intense bombardments and a crippling siege on Gaza in retaliation for the October 7 Hamas attacks, which resulted in over 1,000 Israeli casualties and more than 250 hostages. Palestinian health officials report that Israeli bombings have since killed more than 38,000 people, mostly women and children. The United Nations warns of famine due to severe food shortages.
