In a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the Israeli military conducted a direct airstrike against Houthi rebels in Yemen. This action comes a day after the Iran-backed militant group launched a deadly drone attack on Tel Aviv, killing one person. Israel’s F-15 jet fighters targeted several locations in the Houthi-controlled port city of Hodeidah, setting fuel tanks ablaze and damaging the city’s power plant. Health authorities reported several fatalities and more than 80 injuries, although the Israeli military has not commented on casualties.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the strike was in retribution for the numerous Houthi attacks against Israel since October. He emphasized that Israel would retaliate against anyone who harms the nation. The Houthi attack on Tel Aviv marked the first time the group successfully hit the city, escalating the conflict nine months into Israel’s war against Hamas militants in Gaza.
The airstrikes in Yemen, over 1,000 miles from Israel, represent one of the furthest operations conducted by the Israeli air force. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military’s chief spokesman, highlighted the reach of Israel’s military capabilities. U.S. defense officials confirmed that the U.S. was notified before the operation, with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin discussing the hostilities with his Israeli counterpart.
An Israeli military official stated that the airstrikes targeted “dual-use facilities” in Hodeidah, which serve as a main supply route for Iranian weapons to Yemen, violating a United Nations arms embargo. Despite Tehran’s denial, there is ample evidence of Iran arming the Houthis. The Houthis likely used a modified Iranian-made Samad drone in the Tel Aviv attack.
Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam claimed the Israeli military struck civilian targets, including oil tanks and a power plant. Hodeidah, a key base for launching missile and drone attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, also hosts vital civilian facilities like grain silos. In response to the Israeli strikes, several Houthi leaders have gone into hiding, fearing further attacks.
Hisham Al-Omeisy, a Yemen analyst at the European Institute of Peace, described the strikes as a significant escalation. The Houthis have attacked international shipping and fired numerous drones and missiles against Israel, aligning themselves with Hamas militants. Other Iran-backed groups in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon have also attacked Israel, threatening to expand the conflict into a broader regional war. Notably, the exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah have forced many civilians to flee the border region.
Until this strike, Israel had limited its engagement with the Houthis to intercepting projectiles fired at its territory. The U.S. military had taken the lead in defending maritime shipping with airstrikes against Houthi targets. However, the fatal strike in Tel Aviv prompted Israel to change its policy and take direct action.
Israel had prepared operational plans for Yemen, aligning with orders issued months earlier. The Israeli defense official noted that the policy shift was a response to the first instance of a Houthi attack resulting in an Israeli civilian casualty. The message of deterrence sent by the airstrikes aimed to caution the Houthis and other hostile actors in the region.
As tensions rise and the conflict potentially broadens, the international community watches closely. The recent developments underscore the fragile state of peace in the Middle East and the ongoing struggle for stability.
Stay tuned for more updates on this evolving story. The impact of these airstrikes and the subsequent responses will shape the geopolitical landscape in the coming days.
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