On Tuesday, Israel executed a major airstrike on the port city of Hodeidah in Yemen held by Houthi rebels. The Israeli military reported that the purpose of the operation was to destroy infrastructure through which the Houthis allegedly received Iranian backed weapons.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) categorized the location as a military site managed by what they referred to as the Houthi terrorist regime and this move constitutes a really significant expansion in Israel’s military strategy beyond its own borders.
Col. Avichay Adraee: Advance Warning Before Strike
The strike was preceded by an evacuation order by the IDF urging civilians and sea crews to leave the Hodeidah port area. Col. Avichay Adraee an Israel military spokesperson, on X said to warn people that evacuation would be taken within hours of that warning, adding that failing to do that would put lives at risk. This warning seemed a consequence of what would appear to be increased military activity by the Houthis and which according to Israel has been aimed at launching attacks against Israeli and allied targets.
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What are Anti-Air Defenses Deployment by Houthis?
Within hours of the returns from operations, Al-Masirah TV among other Houthi media reported 12 strikes across varied locations within that port. The Yemeni military spokesperson Yahya Saree confirmed that air defenses were activated in what he termed an act of aggression by Israel.
This follows several Israeli attacks including that horrific assault on a Houthi media facility in Sanaa and other spots across Jawf province on September 10. In this strike, 46 people lost their lives with the figure of injuries running above 160 according to the Houthi run health ministry.
Background of Rampant Hostilities & Their Regional Ramifications
Israel’s response to Houthi drone threats included a threat that one had struck an Israeli airport. The port would be a logistical base for Iranian arms transfers for cross-border attacks by the so-called Iranian repeaters of the IDF. The death toll continues to rise and the humanitarian cost of the conflict is attracting concern from international observers.
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This keeps on pointing to increased regional entanglement and with its potential further destabilization in this extremely volatile part of the Middle East by the use of advanced airpower again against targets in Yemen.
When have the Houthis Attacked Israel?
The war in Gaza started as a result of Hamas’s assault from October 7, 2023, the Houthis have fired missiles and drones aimed toward Israel as a sign of solidarity with Palestinians. An investigation has recorded at least six successful strikes within Israeli territory:
- In May 2024 a missile struck near Israel’s main Ben Gurion Airport injuring eight people.
- In December 2024 three attacks were launched on December 9 a drone hit an apartment building in Yavne destroying two homes. Then December 19 a missile struck a school in Ramat Gan and caused heavy damage and then December 21 a hypersonic ballistic missile struck a playground in Jaffa injuring at least 16.
- In July 2023 a long-range Iranian-made drone struck central Tel Aviv killing a man and injuring others.
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