Israel launched air strikes on the Houthi-controlled port city of Hodeidah in Yemen on July 20, responding to a recent drone attack by the Houthis that struck Tel Aviv.
The Israeli Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, stated that the air strikes were intended to send a strong message to the Houthi movement. The strikes have reportedly resulted in significant casualties, with Houthi-linked sources reporting six deaths and at least 87 injuries, many of them severe.
According to BBC, in a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said: “After nine months of continuous aerial attacks by the Houthis in Yemen toward Israel, IAF [Israeli Air Force] fighter jets conducted an extensive operational strike over 1,800km [1,118 miles) away against Houthi terrorist military targets” in the area of the port of Hodeidah.
The Israeli military also intercepted a missile fired from Yemen aimed at the Israeli port city of Eilat, using its Arrow-3 missile defense system. Additionally, the Houthis claimed to have attacked the MV Pumba, a Liberia-flagged container ship, causing damage.
The Houthi Supreme Political Council promised to respond to the attack. “This aggression will not pass without an effective response against the enemy,” it said in a statement, Aljazeera reports.
According to the American P&I Club, the attacks have hit the port’s oil facilities with no damages. However, port operations have been suspended until further notice.
This escalation if worrisome for peace in the region, as it could mean extended conflict. Furthermore, it poses a significant threat for the shipping industry, for fear that the Houthis will get even more aggressive in their attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.