Israel launched a series of airstrikes in Yemen’s port city of Hudaydah following the Houthis ballistic missile attack against Israel. Israeli fighter jets struck the port city of Hudaydah (Hodeidah) in Yemen’s west coast on the Red Sea.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the operation, saying approximately 20 of its fighter jets took part in the mission hitting dozens of Houthi targets in Hudaydah and surrounding areas.
The Hudaydah Port is a key Yemeni port on the Red Sea coast and the second largest port in the country, located in Al Hudaydah, the fourth largest city in Yemen.
In a televised statement, the spokesperson of the Yemeni Armed Forces Yahya Saree warned airlines that Israel’s airports are “no longer safe for air travel”.
On Sunday night, the Iran-backed group said it would “impose a comprehensive air blockade” on Israel by “repeatedly targeting airports,” especially Ben Gurion.
It called on international airlines to plan accordingly and cancel all scheduled flights to Israeli airports.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to retaliate against the Houthis, vowing to unleash multiple attacks on the group.
The prime minister met on Sunday, May 4 at his office in Jerusalem with Cypriot president Nikos Christodoulides.
They first met privately and then held an expanded meeting.
“As far as the trade routes, obviously we’re being challenged, the whole world is being challenged by the Houthis, including in the dastardly attack they did today near Ben-Gurion airport.
“We will not tolerate it. We will take very strong action against them. And we always remember that they act with their patron Iran’s direction and support. We will do what we need to do to take care of our security to respond effectively and to give Iran due warning that this cannot continue,” Netanyahu told Cypriot president Christodoulides on Sunday.
For the past year and a half, the Houthi regime has been operating under Iranian direction and funding in order to harm Israel and its allies, the IDF said, undermine the regional order, and disrupt global freedom of navigation.
The IDF also warned that it is determined to “continue to act and strike forcefully” against anyone who poses a threat to the citizens of Israel.
The US military has carried out far more extensive strikes on targets in Yemen in recent months, aiming to weaken the group and disrupt Houthi attacks on US Navy ships and commercial vessels operating in the Middle East.
The Houthis have repeatedly launched missiles and drones toward Israel and Red Sea shipping.
They say the attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians and will continue until Israel ends its offensive in Gaza and allows unfettered humanitarian access.
