IDF Launches Strikes on Ports and Power Stations in Yemen

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) target strategic ports and power stations in Yemen, escalating tensions and raising concerns about regional stability.

Israel has targeted ports and energy facilities in Yemen, focusing on locations associated with the Houthi militant group. This action was described as a response to recent military activities by the Houthis, as stated by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

The IDF revealed the operation on Thursday morning, shortly after a missile strike by the Houthis, which an Israeli military spokesperson indicated compelled millions of citizens in Israel to seek shelter.

Israeli warplanes targeted sites that the IDF asserted were utilized for military operations, including ports and energy infrastructure in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen.

A Houthi spokesperson confirmed the strikes on social media, asserting that the targets were civilian in nature. According to Nasruddin Amer, the deputy head of the Houthi media office, the Israeli airstrikes resulted in the deaths of nine individuals, with seven casualties at the port of Salif and two at an oil facility in Ras Isa. He also reported that two power stations in the capital were attacked, sharing images that allegedly depicted the destruction.

For several months, the Houthis have been conducting assaults against Israel and attempting to impose a naval blockade by targeting maritime traffic in the Red Sea, aiming to increase the costs of Israel’s military operations in Gaza, which were initiated following a deadly attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in October 2023.

Israel categorizes the Yemeni group as terrorists and as proxies of its primary adversary, Iran. The organization is viewed as a global threat due to its attacks on commercial vessels, according to claims from West Jerusalem.

Amer stated that the recent strikes in Yemen would not dissuade the Houthis from continuing their support for Gaza, regardless of the consequences.

The United States has been carrying out operations in Yemen for several months, describing its efforts as a mission to safeguard freedom of navigation and to deter assaults against its regional ally, Israel.