The Israeli navy launched strikes on targets in the Houthi-controlled port city of Hudaydah in Yemen during the early hours of Tuesday morning, BBC reported.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated the operation was a direct response to recent Houthi missile attacks targeting Israel and aimed to neutralize the port's use for "military purposes."
While there were no immediate reports of casualties, social media images depicted thick black plumes of smoke rising from the port. Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported two distinct strikes.
The Houthis, an Iran-backed group that controls much of north-western Yemen, have consistently launched missiles at Israel in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. This comes after Israel's military offensive in Gaza, which began in response to Hamas' attack on Israel in October 2023. Recent Houthi missile activity includes one intercepted above Jerusalem on Thursday and another that struck the grounds of Israel's main airport last month.
Unusually, these strikes were carried out by naval ships rather than aircraft. Prior to the attacks, the IDF issued evacuation warnings to individuals present at Hudaydah port, as well as the other Houthi-controlled ports of Ras Isa and Salif.
"Due to the terrorist Houthi regime's use of seaports for its terrorist activities, we urge all those present at these ports to evacuate and stay away from them for your own safety until further notice," wrote IDF Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee on X.
Despite the strikes, Nasruddin Amer, the deputy head of the Houthis' media office, downplayed the impact. He wrote on X that the attack had "no effect even on the morale of our people, who take to the streets weekly ... in support of Gaza."
Hudaydah port serves as a critical entry point for food and humanitarian aid for millions of Yemenis and has been the target of several Israeli strikes over the past year. Last month, a previous Israeli strike on the port reportedly killed one person and, according to Israeli officials, was expected to put the port out of action for approximately a month.
The Houthis have controlled a significant portion of north-western Yemen since 2014, when they ousted the internationally-recognized government from Sanaa, triggering a devastating civil war. Since November 2023, the Houthis have escalated their regional actions by launching dozens of missile and drone attacks on commercial ships passing through the Red Sea. These attacks have resulted in the sinking of two vessels, the seizure of a third, and the deaths of four crew members. The disruptions have forced major shipping companies to reroute vessels around southern Africa, significantly impacting global seaborne trade, with nearly 15% of which typically passes through the Red Sea.
