Israeli fighter jets struck Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah on Saturday, following a drone attack by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels that hit Tel Aviv the previous day.
The strikes reportedly killed at least three people and injured 87, with the Israel Defence Force (IDF) stating they targeted “military targets.” Houthi spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree condemned the strikes as “blatant aggression” and vowed Yemeni forces would retaliate, claiming the attack hit civilian sites like a power station, port, and fuel tanks.
Al-Masirah TV, a Houthi-controlled outlet, reported a large fire at the port and widespread power cuts. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a televised address, called Hodeidah a conduit for Iranian weapons, likening the Houthis to Hamas and Hezbollah as part of Iran’s “axis of evil.” He vowed that Israel would defend itself “by all means” and warned that the strike demonstrated Israel’s reach against its enemies.
This airstrike marks the first direct Israeli attack on Yemen since Houthi rebels began targeting Israel with drones and missiles in response to the Gaza conflict, raising concerns of a new regional front involving Iran’s proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and various militia groups in Syria.