Israeli Retaliation Targets Houthis in Yemen Following Tel Aviv Drone Strike

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In a significant escalation, Israel launched a military operation against Houthi targets in western Yemen, striking the port city of Hodeida on Saturday. This retaliation came in response to a deadly drone attack on Tel Aviv the previous day, which left at least one person dead and eight others injured when a Houthi drone struck an apartment building near the U.S. embassy.

 

The Houthi-run news agency Saba reported at least 80 injuries from the Israeli strikes, with the Houthi health ministry confirming fatalities. This marks the first Israeli attack on Yemen since the war against Hamas began in October. Israeli warplanes targeted fuel storage facilities and a power plant in Hodeida, aiming to deter the Houthis from supporting Hamas in Gaza. Eyewitnesses described seeing thick smoke rising from the port, and loud explosions were reported. Houthi-controlled Al-Masirah TV broadcasted images of a massive blaze on the seafront and injured individuals being treated at a hospital, many suffering from severe burns.

 

 

A Hodeida resident described the aftermath: "The city is dark, people are on the streets, petrol stations are closed and seeing long queues." The attack prompted strong reactions from Houthi officials. Mohammed Abdulsalam condemned it as "brutal Israeli aggression against Yemen" and suggested the goal was to increase suffering and pressure Yemen to cease supporting Gaza. Mohamed Ali al-Houthi threatened retaliation, promising "impactful strikes."

 

 

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, in the immediate aftermath of the Tel Aviv attack, had warned of severe retaliation. "The blood of Israeli citizens has a price," he said, indicating further operations against the Houthis if they continued their aggression. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu justified the strikes, stating, "The port we attacked is not an innocent port. It was used for military purposes, as an entry point for deadly weapons supplied to the Houthis by Iran." The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reiterated this stance, citing "hundreds of attacks carried out against the state of Israel in recent months."

 

 

The Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv took Israeli defenses by surprise. Although the drone was detected, it was not flagged as a threat, resulting in no air-raid warning before it crashed into the apartment building. The Houthis have attempted attacks on other Israeli cities, including Ashdod, Haifa, and Eilat, but this was the first to breach Israeli air defenses.

 

The situation in the region remains tense. Both the United States and the United Kingdom have previously conducted operations against the Houthis. Last month, the U.S. launched a missile barrage destroying Houthi radar installations, a drone, and unmanned bomb-boats. However, the U.S. was not involved in the recent Israeli operation. A spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council stated, "The United States was not involved in today’s strikes in Yemen, and we did not coordinate or assist Israel with the strikes." The U.S. did express support for Israel's right to self-defense following the Tel Aviv attack.

 

In a related development, Israel also conducted an airstrike on Adloun in southern Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah and Hamas positions. This followed rocket and drone attacks on Israeli positions from these groups. Lebanese media reported civilian casualties from this strike, including a critically injured one-year-old boy.

 

Credit: Daily Telegraph | X 2024-07-21

 

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