DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Israeli airstrikes in Yemen have resulted in at least nine fatalities, according to a Houthi-controlled satellite channel reporting on Thursday.
Al-Masirah, citing a correspondent in Hodeida, attributed seven deaths to a port strike and two more at the Ras Isa oil terminal.
Following a Houthi missile attack targeting central Israel earlier on Thursday, the Israeli military confirmed the strikes. Israel stated it successfully intercepted the missile before it reached its territory.
This action intensifies Israel’s campaign against the Iranian-backed Houthis, a group that has thus far avoided the level of intense military action directed at Hamas and Hezbollah.
Amidst ongoing direct fire exchanges between Israel and Iran, and the collapse of the Syrian government due to rebel advances, regional conflicts have disrupted Iran’s network of proxy groups.
Thursday’s strikes risk escalating the conflict with the Houthis, whose attacks on the Red Sea shipping lane have significantly impacted global trade.
The Israeli military’s statement provided no details about the targeted locations.
“The targets struck by the (Israeli military) were used by the Houthi forces for military purposes,” the statement explained. “The strikes degrade the Houthi terrorist regime, preventing it from exploiting the targets for military and terrorist purposes, including the smuggling of Iranian weapons to the region.”
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, an Israeli military spokesperson, stated that the strikes targeted energy and port infrastructure allegedly used by the rebels for military actions.
“Israel will not hesitate to act in order to defend itself and its citizens from the Houthi attacks,” Hagari affirmed.
Hodeida, located approximately 145 kilometers (90 miles) southwest of Sanaa, plays a crucial role in supplying food to Yemen amid its decade-long war. Suspicions persist regarding the port’s use for Iranian weapons transfers.
These strikes followed the Israeli military’s announcement of intercepting a missile launched from Yemen before it entered Israeli airspace.
“Rocket and missile sirens were sounded following the possibility of falling debris from the interception,” the Israeli military reported. Sirens activated near Tel Aviv and surrounding areas, accompanied by a loud overhead explosion. While the Houthis haven’t yet claimed responsibility for the missile attack, they indicated an important military statement would follow, consistent with their usual practice.
Israel previously targeted Hodeida and its oil infrastructure in July, following a Houthi drone attack that killed one and injured 10 in Tel Aviv.
American forces have also conducted numerous strikes against the Houthis over the past year in response to Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping. On Monday, U.S. Central Command reported striking a Houthi “key command-and-control facility” in Sanaa, later identified as the al-Ardi complex, a former Defense Ministry building. However, Israel appears to have acted independently in Thursday’s strikes.
The Houthis have targeted approximately 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the October 2023 Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, which began with Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel, resulting in over 1,200 Israeli deaths and 250 hostages. Israel’s Gaza offensive has reportedly killed over 45,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials.
The Houthis have seized one vessel and sunk two, resulting in four sailor deaths. Other missiles and drones have been intercepted by U.S.- and European-led coalitions in the Red Sea or missed their targets, which have included Western military vessels.
The rebels claim their targeting of ships linked to Israel, the U.S., or the U.K. aims to halt Israel’s Gaza campaign. However, many of the targeted ships have minimal or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.
The Houthis are stalemated in a broader Yemen war against a Saudi-led coalition, a conflict that has claimed over 150,000 lives, including civilians, and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, believed to have caused tens of thousands more deaths.
