The Israeli military launched a targeted attack on Yemen's Red Sea ports of Hodeidah and Salif, aiming to weaken the Houthi group's military capabilities. This operation marks the latest escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Houthis, who have been launching missiles toward Israel in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
According to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), the ports were being used to transfer weapons, and the strikes were intended to "deepen the damage to the Houthis' terror capabilities" and "neutralise" the ports. The IDF also urged residents to evacuate the areas, emphasising its efforts to minimise harm to civilians. In a statement, the IDF said, "The IDF struck and dismantled terrorist infrastructure sites belonging to the Houthi terrorist regime in the Hudaydah and Salif Ports in Yemen. These ports are used to transfer weapons and are a further example of the Houthi's systematic and cynical exploitation of civilian infrastructure in order to advance terrorist activities."
The Houthi-run health ministry reported that the Israeli strikes killed at least one person and injured nine. Residents in Hodeidah described hearing four loud explosions and seeing smoke rising from the port following the attack. This attack is part of a broader strategy by Israel to disrupt the Houthis' military supply chains and economic infrastructure.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a joint statement warning the Houthis that continued missile attacks on Israel would result in severe harm, not only to their military capabilities but also to their leadership. They specifically mentioned that Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi could become a target, similar to Hamas' Yahya Sinwar and Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah. "If the Houthis continue to fire missiles at the State of Israel, they will be severely harmed, and we will also hurt the leaders," the statement read.
However, the Houthis remain defiant. Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a senior Houthi figure, dismissed the Israeli threats as "illusions," accusing Israel of attempting to buy time by setting "unattainable goals." The Houthis are part of Iran's "Axis of Resistance," alongside Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and control a significant portion of Yemen's population.
The conflict between Israel and the Houthis has been escalating since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023. The Houthis have launched dozens of missile and drone attacks on Israel, most of which have been intercepted or fallen short. Their slogan calls for "Death to America, Death to Israel, [and] a Curse on the Jews”. Since March 18, when the IDF resumed its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis have intensified their attacks, launching 34 ballistic missiles and at least 10 drones at Israel.
