Israeli warplanes struck the Houthi-controlled Yemeni port of Hodeida on Saturday, a day after a drone attack by the Houthi rebels hit Tel Aviv, according to statements from both sides.
The airstrikes, which resulted in a large fire and plumes of black smoke, mark the first time Israel has claimed responsibility for an attack in Yemen, approximately 1,800 kilometres (1,100 miles) away.
“The blood of Israeli citizens has a price,” Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said following the Hodeida strikes, indicating that more operations against the Iran-backed Houthis would follow “if they dare to attack us”. He added, “The fire that is currently burning in Hodeida is seen across the Middle East and the significance is clear.”
In the aftermath of Friday’s drone strike in Tel Aviv, which killed a civilian, Gallant had vowed retaliation against the Houthis, who control significant parts of Yemen, including much of its Red Sea coast.
The Israeli military confirmed that its warplanes targeted “military targets of the Houthi terrorist regime” in Hodeida in response to the drone attack. An official military statement described the targets as military assets of the Houthi regime, linking the strikes to hundreds of recent attacks against Israel.
The Houthis have previously claimed attacks on Israeli cities such as Ashdod, Haifa, and Eilat, but Friday’s strike on Tel Aviv appears to be the first to breach Israel’s air defences.
Mohammed Abdulsalam, a top Houthi official, denounced the Israeli attack as “brutal Israel aggression against Yemen.” He claimed the strikes targeted “fuel storage facilities and a power plant” in Hodeida in an attempt to pressure Yemen to cease its support for Palestinians in the Gaza war.
Egypt has expressed deep concern regarding Israeli military operations in Yemen, warning that these actions are intensifying tensions across multiple fronts, in a statement issued Saturday by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Egypt stressed the need for international efforts to ensure regional security and stability, cautioning that the ongoing developments in the Gaza Strip could lead to a broader conflict.
The Houthi-run health ministry reported fatalities and injuries from the strikes but did not provide specific numbers. Al Masirah television, controlled by the Houthis, aired footage of a massive blaze on the seafront, with a large plume of black smoke rising into the sky. The ministry said several people suffered “serious burns.”
As a result of the airstrikes, fuel pumps across the port city of Hodeida were closed. The port is a critical hub for imports and international relief for millions of Yemenis in need after more than a decade of war.
Hodeida has faced numerous strikes from Britain and the United States since January, in response to Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis claim these attacks target Israeli-linked shipping in support of the Palestinians in the Gaza war and have attacked at least 88 commercial vessels since November.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had called for “maximum restraint” after the Tel Aviv drone strike to avoid further escalation in the region. However, Houthi politburo member Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti quickly threatened retaliation for the Hodeida strikes, stating, “The Zionist entity will pay the price for targeting civilian facilities, and we will meet escalation with escalation.”
Hodeida port, a vital entry point for imports and international aid to Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, had largely remained untouched throughout the decade-long conflict between the rebels and the internationally recognised government supported by neighbouring Saudi Arabia.
“Traders now fear that this will exacerbate the already critical food security and humanitarian situation in northern Yemen, as the majority of trade flows through this port,” said Mohammed Albasha, a senior Middle East analyst for the US-based Navanti Group. He added that the Israeli strikes “would likely be perceived by many Yemenis as an attack on their homeland, which could bolster Houthi recruitment and funding.”
