In a significant escalation, Israeli warplanes struck the
Huthi-controlled Yemeni port
of Hodeida on Saturday, a day after a
drone attack
by Huthi rebels killed a civilian in
Tel Aviv
. The strikes, which triggered a raging fire and plumes of black smoke, are the first claimed by Israel in Yemen, marking a new phase in the conflict.
Details of strikes
The airstrikes targeted gas and oil depots and a power station in the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, which is controlled by the Houthis and contains vital oil export facilities.
An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the port as a significant supply route for Iranian weapons to Yemen. However, the port is also crucial for humanitarian aid to Yemen, and the official acknowledged that some "dual-use" targets, serving both military and civilian purposes, were struck.
The Israeli military confirmed its warplanes targeted "military objectives of the Huthi terrorist regime" in response to the drone attack in Tel Aviv, which breached Israel's air defenses.
Israeli "fighter jets struck military targets of the Huthi terrorist regime in the area of
Hodeida port
in Yemen in response to the hundreds of attacks carried out against the state of Israel in recent months," the military said, as reported by AFP.
Despite the attack, the Israeli military indicated it was not tightening emergency civil defense regulations, suggesting officials do not expect a more serious escalation, NYT reported.
'We will defend ourselves by all means': Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel will "defend ourselves by all means", hours after fighter jets struck a Huthi-controlled port in Yemen in retaliation for a deadly drone attack.
"I have a message for Israel's enemies: Make no mistake. We will defend ourselves by all means, on all fronts. Anyone who harms us will pay a very heavy price for their aggression," he said in a televised address the day after a drone killed a civilian in Tel Aviv.
'The blood of Israeli citizens has a price'
The Israeli bombardment caused a massive fire in the port area, likely from burning fuel.
Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant
declared the retaliatory action, saying, "The blood of Israeli citizens has a price." Gallant warned of more operations against the Iran-backed Huthis if further attacks occur.
"The fire burning in Hodeidah is seen across the Middle East, and the significance is clear," said Gallant. "The Houthis attacked us over 200 times. The first time that they harmed an Israeli citizen, we struck them — and we will do this in any place where it may be required," he added.
Huthi response to strikes
Huthi official Mohammed Abdulsalam
condemned the strikes, calling them a "brutal Israel aggression against Yemen." He claimed the attack targeted "fuel storage facilities and a power plant" to pressure Yemen to cease support for Palestinians in the Gaza conflict. The Huthi-run health ministry reported deaths and injuries but did not provide specific numbers.
Al Masirah television, operated by the Huthis, aired footage of a massive blaze on the seafront, with a large plume of black smoke rising into the sky. AFP also reported several large explosions were heard and smoke was seen over the port.
The drone attack on Israel
The drone attack on Tel Aviv on Friday, claimed by the Houthis, killed one Israeli and injured several others. This attack is part of a sustained Houthi campaign against Israel, involving hundreds of missiles and drones aimed at Israeli cities and commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
Friday's deadly drone attack, which struck near a US diplomatic compound, breached Israel’s air defenses. Most previous Houthi-fired missiles and drones at Israel have been intercepted by US and Israeli forces.
Until Saturday, Israel had refrained from a full-on attack against the Houthis in Yemen, located over 1,000 miles away. However, the Tel Aviv drone attack prompted a decisive response, with Israeli fighter jets flying toward Yemen by Saturday afternoon.
Impact on Hodeida and humanitarian concerns
The strikes have exacerbated fears about Yemen's already critical food security and humanitarian situation. Hodeida port, a crucial entry point for imports and international aid, has been a lifeline for millions of Yemenis suffering from over a decade of war.
"This will likely be perceived by many Yemenis as an attack on their homeland, which could bolster Huthi recruitment and funding," said Mohammed Albasha, senior Middle East analyst for the US-based Navanti Group. He added that traders fear the strikes will worsen the humanitarian crisis in northern Yemen, as most trade flows through this port.
US' reaction
The Biden administration had not immediately reacted to Saturday's strike. However, following Friday's attack in Tel Aviv, Gen Charles Q. Brown Jr., chair of the joint chiefs of staff, said at the Aspen Security Forum that "Israel has the right to defend itself."
UN chief calls for restraint amid escalating violence
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had called for "maximum restraint" after the Tel Aviv drone strike to avoid further regional escalation. However, Huthi politburo member Mohammed al-Bukhaiti quickly threatened revenge for the Hodeida strikes. "The Zionist entity will pay the price for targeting civilian facilities, and we will meet escalation with escalation," he posted on social media.
The Huthis have previously claimed attacks on Israeli cities, including Ashdod, Haifa, and Eilat, but Friday's strike on Tel Aviv was the first to breach Israel's vaunted air defenses.
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