Israel launched strikes on the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah on Sunday, targeting power plants and oil terminals. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed the facilities had been used by the Yemen-based Houthi armed group to “transfer Iranian weapons to the region.”
The operation was in retaliation for the “recent attacks against Israel” conducted by the “Houthi terrorist regime,” which controls most of northwestern Yemen, the IDF said in a statement.
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“The targets included power plants and a seaport, which were used by the Houthis to transfer Iranian weapons to the region, in addition to military supplies and oil,” the Israeli military claimed.
“Over the past year, the Houthis have been operating under the direction and funding of Iran, and in cooperation with Iraqi militias, in order to attack the State of Israel, undermine regional stability, and disrupt global freedom of navigation,” it added.
According to local media reports, the strikes affected the sea port of Hodeidah, as well as a smaller harbor in the Ras Issa area of the city. The Houthi-run Health Ministry said the strikes killed at least four people, including a port worker and three electrical engineers, and wounded 29 others. The attack also caused power outages across the city, with large columns of black smoke seen rising from the bombed locations.
In recent days, the Houthis have ramped up their attacks against Israel, repeatedly launching various projectiles at it. Last Sunday, the group claimed to have used a “new hypersonic ballistic missile” to strike central Israel. According to the IDF, the projectile landed in an open area and caused no casualties.
The Houthis have played a role in the escalation of tensions in the Middle East that started with the surprise attack on southern Israel launched by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7 of last year. The group has repeatedly attacked Israeli-linked merchant vessels, sinking several of them, while also launching drone and missile strikes against the country.
These activities prompted a US-led coalition to conduct strikes on Houthi infrastructure and also intercept inbound projectiles. Israel carried out a major bombing run on Yemen back in July that also targeted the Hodeidah area.