Israel conducts strikes on Houthi sites in Yemen following missile launch

Israeli fighter jets carried out multiple strikes on military objectives in Yemen associated with the Iran-supported Houthi movement. These actions were taken in retaliation for recent missile and drone attacks. An Israeli military spokesperson indicated that the targeted sites encompassed Red Sea ports and energy facilities within Sanaa, the capital. Al Masirah TV, operated by the Houthis, stated that nine individuals died at the port of Salif and the Ras Issa oil terminal, both situated in Hudaydah province. These strikes occurred mere hours after a missile launched from Yemen was partially intercepted above central Israel. A segment of the missile nevertheless impacted a school building in Ramat Gan, located near Tel Aviv, resulting in its destruction. The Houthis, who maintain control over north-western Yemen, initiated attacks against Israel and international maritime traffic soon after the Gaza war commenced in October 2023. They stated their actions were in solidarity with Palestinians. The Israeli military reports that approximately 400 missiles and drones have been launched from Yemen towards Israel since that time, with the majority having been intercepted. On Thursday morning, residents in Tel Aviv and its vicinity sought refuge in bomb shelters when an incoming missile was brought down by air defense systems. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that a missile had been launched from Yemen targeting Israeli territory and was partially intercepted. The IDF further noted that shrapnel, including the missile’s warhead, landed in central Israel, directly striking a school in Ramat Efal, a neighborhood of Ramat Gan. No casualties were reported. Two hours subsequent to this attack, the IDF declared that its fighter jets had engaged Houthi military objectives along Yemen’s west coast and in its interior. As per Houthi-controlled Al Masirah, an Israeli strike on the Red Sea port of Salif resulted in seven fatalities, while two individuals were killed and one sustained injuries at the adjacent Ras Issa oil terminal. Additionally, two more people were reportedly injured at the port of Hudaydah, situated directly to the south. The television channel also reported that power stations in Haiz and Dhahban, located south and north of Sanaa respectively, had been hit. Meshaal al-Rifi, the director of the General Electricity Corporation, was quoted stating that the local electricity provision had been impacted due to damage to electricity distribution stations and fuel tanks. IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stated: “The Houthis have been carrying out attacks against Israel in violation of international law, and the Houthi regime is a threat to peace and security in the region.” He further added: “Today, the IDF conducted precise strikes on Houthi military targets in Yemen – including ports and energy infrastructure in Sanaa, which the Houthis have been using in ways that effectively contributed to their military actions.” An Israeli military official informed the Financial Times that the operation was “planned” and that the 14 jets and other aircraft participating were “already in the air” when the Houthis launched their missile. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented: “After Hamas, Hezbollah and the Assad regime in Syria, the Houthis are almost the last arm of Iran’s axis of evil. They are finding out, and will find out, the hard way that whoever harms Israel – will pay a very heavy price.” Concurrently, Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a warning to Houthi leaders, stating that “Israel’s long hand will reach you too”. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea claimed that the group had launched two “hypersonic” ballistic missiles at two “sensitive military targets” in the Tel Aviv area simultaneously with the Israeli strikes, asserting that the operation had “successfully achieved its objectives”. He further stated: “The Israeli aggression will not deter Yemen and the Yemenis from performing their religious and moral duty in responding to its massacres in the Gaza Strip, as well as responding to this brutal aggression by continuing support and striking all hostile targets with appropriate weapons.” This marked the third direct assault by Israel against the Houthis within a five-month period. In July, the Israeli military targeted Hudaydah’s port and oil infrastructure following a Houthi drone attack that resulted in one fatality in Tel Aviv. It subsequently bombed Hudaydah once more in September after a Houthi missile aimed at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion international airport. The United States and the United Kingdom have also conducted strikes against Houthi weaponry and other military sites over the past year, in response to assaults on international shipping in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. On Monday, US Central Command reported that it had struck a “key command-and-control facility” in Sanaa, which served as a central point for coordinating attacks. Since November 2023, the Houthis have targeted numerous merchant vessels using missiles, drones, and small boat attacks. They have been responsible for sinking two ships, seizing another, and causing the deaths of four crew members. They assert that their actions are in support of Palestinians amidst the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. They have frequently claimed, often inaccurately, that they are exclusively targeting vessels connected to Israel, the US, or the UK.