The Israeli military has launched a series of airstrikes targeting Houthi-held military sites in Yemen after intercepting a missile fired by the group towards Israel. The strikes, carried out early Thursday, were approved by Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz and coordinated by the Air Force, Intelligence, and Navy branches, according to an official statement.
The Israeli military said the airstrikes focused on “military targets” associated with the Houthi fighters along Yemen’s western coastal region and deep into the country. “The targets attacked are used by the Houthi forces for their military operations,” the military said.
The Houthi-aligned Al Masirah TV channel reported that the attacks included aggressive raids on the Yemeni capital Sanaa and the port city of Hodeidah. In Sanaa, two central power plants were struck, disrupting energy supplies. In Hodeidah, the airstrikes targeted the port and an oil facility at Ras Isa, with reports of casualties among the facility’s employees, according to Yemen’s SABA news agency.
The Israeli military confirmed that the strikes were in response to a missile fired overnight by Houthi forces, which was intercepted before causing any damage. The attack was part of what the military described as a series of repeated strikes by the Houthis over the past 14 months. These include attacks on Israeli-linked shipping vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as missile launches aimed at Israeli territory.
Military spokesman Daniel Hagari stated that the strikes targeted critical Houthi military infrastructure, including ports and energy facilities. He emphasized that the operations were a direct retaliation for the missile attacks, which the Houthis have framed as an act of solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza.
The Houthis, who control significant portions of northern Yemen, have intensified their actions against Israel as part of what they claim is their support for Palestinians. The conflict in Gaza, which has killed more than 45,000 people—most of whom are women and children—has drawn widespread condemnation and escalated regional tensions.
The recent developments mark a significant escalation in the involvement of regional actors in the ongoing Middle East crisis. The Israeli strikes in Yemen highlight the growing scope of the conflict, with Yemen’s infrastructure and civilian sites increasingly caught in the crossfire.
