Israel launched air strikes targeting Houthi military targets in Yemen, including ports and energy infrastructure in Sana’a, just hours after the Iran-backed group’s latest attack on Israel.
Rear admiral Daniel Hagari, an Israeli military spokesperson, said the strikes hit energy and port infrastructure, which he alleged the Houthis “have been using in ways that effectively contributed to their military action.”
“Israel’s long hand will reach you as well,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a warning to Houthi leaders following the strikes. “Whoever raises a hand against the State of Israel – his hand will be cut off, whoever harms us – will be harmed sevenfold.”
Thursday’s strikes risk further escalating conflict with the Iranian-backed Houthis, whose attacks on the Red Sea have drastically impacted global shipping.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the operation, saying it “conducted precise strikes on Houthi military targets in Yemen, including ports and energy infrastructure in Sana’a.”
“Israel will not hesitate to act in order to defend itself and its citizens from the Houthi attacks,” the IDF said on X, formerly Twitter.
Israel’s military said the airstrikes were retaliation for Houthi missile and drone attacks on Israel over the past months.
IDF spokesperson, rear admiral Daniel Hagari said early Thursday that “over the past 14 months, the Iran-backed Houthi terrorist regime in Yemen, has launched hundreds of missile and drone attacks against the State of Israel. This happened again tonight. The Houthi terror regime fired a missile towards central of Israel, forcing millions of civilians to take cover in bomb shelters.
“The Houthis have been carrying out attacks against Israel in violation of international law, and the Houthi regime poses a threat to peace and security in the region.
“Today, the IDF conducted precise strikes on Houthi military targets in Yemen, including ports and energy infrastructure in Sana’a, which the Houthis have been using in ways that effectively contributed to their military actions. Israel will not hesitate to act to protect itself and its citizens from the Houthi attacks. The Houthis are also targeting other countries in the Middle East, in the United States and other countries in the world.”
The strikes came shortly after Houthis claimed that the Yemeni armed forces carried out a specific military operation targeting “two specific and sensitive military targets of Israel in the occupied Yaffa area with two missiles hypersonic ballistic missiles, Palestine 2 type.”
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the attack in a prerecorded video statement, saying the Yemeni armed forces fired two of “Palestine” type ballistic missiles.
Houthis claimed that their operation was carried out “simultaneously with the Israeli attack.”
Furthermore, Israel officials were cited as saying the Israeli strikes against Houthis were not a direct response to the missiles, but rather a response to months of Houthi aggression.
