Israel Strikes Yemen's Hodeida Port in Retaliation for Houthi Drone Attack

     Israel launched an attack on Yemen's Hodeida port today, deploying twenty aircraft from a base in the Negev Desert in southern Israel. The planes flew 1,800 kilometers to strike the port, Ras Katheeb power station, an oil refinery, and fuel tanks. The exact number of casualties remains unknown, but local sources estimate dozens of deaths and injuries.

Initial reports indicate that the Israeli strikes also targeted the customs office at Hodeida port, the military police headquarters, the political security building, and storage facilities of the Economic Corporation.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated, "Israel bombed the Houthis in Yemen to send a clear message after they harmed an Israeli citizen," referring to the Houthis' claim of responsibility for a drone attack on Tel Aviv the previous day. Gallant added, "The flames currently visible in Hodeida can be seen throughout the Middle East, and the message is clear. The Houthis have attacked us over 200 times. In the first instance that they caused harm to an Israeli citizen, we bombed them. We will act similarly anywhere if necessary."

The Houthi group, Ansar Allah, confirmed that the Israeli attacks targeted the power station, Hodeida port, and fuel tanks. The official military spokesperson, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, declared that the group would not cease its military operations against Israel regardless of the consequences. He emphasized that the group is preparing for a prolonged conflict with Israel and vowed a harsh and painful response to the Hodeida strikes.

The Wall Street Journal reported that an Israeli official had informed the United States about the Yemen strike in advance. Meanwhile, The New York Times noted that the U.S. did not participate in the Israeli operation, although an Israeli official hinted at coordination with the U.S.

The Israeli airstrikes follow the death of an Israeli citizen from a drone explosion near the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, for which the Houthis claimed responsibility. Since November, the Houthis have been launching missile and drone attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, alleging these vessels are bound to Israel or heading to its ports. The Houthis assert that these actions support Palestinians in Gaza amid the ongoing war since October 7.