Israeli navy strikes Houthi “terror targets” in Yemeni port

Israeli navy missile ships launched strikes on what the military described as “terror targets” belonging to the Houthi regime in Yemen’s port of Hodeida, France 24 with AFP reported on June 10th.

The Israeli military said the action came “following the aggression of the Houthi terrorist regime towards the State of Israel, including the launch of surface-to-surface missiles and UAVs (drones) toward Israeli territory.” It stated the strikes aimed “to stop the use of the port for military purposes,” alleging that Houthi forces were “using the port to transfer weapons”.

Yemen’s Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV confirmed the attack, reporting that “two strikes by the Israeli enemy targeted the docks of the port of Hodeida”.

No immediate reports of casualties emerged, according to the BBC on June 10th. However, the port, a crucial entry point for food and humanitarian aid, has come under repeated Israeli attack over the past year. The Houthi-run health ministry reported one fatality in a strike last month. Israeli officials claimed that attack would render the port unusable for around a month.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz declared in a post on X that “we warned the Houthi terror organisation that if they continued firing towards Israel, they would face a powerful response and be subjected to a naval and aerial blockade.”

Colonel Avichay Adraee, an Israeli army spokesman, issued an evacuation warning on X and Telegram. “Because of the use of maritime ports by the Houthi terrorist regime, we call on all people [present in the ports of Ras Issa, Hodeida and Salif] to evacuate . . . immediately for their own security,” he wrote.

Since Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023, the Iran-backed Houthis have repeatedly fired missiles and drones at Israeli targets. The group, which claims to act in solidarity with Palestinians, paused strikes during a two-month Gaza ceasefire, but resumed after Israel renewed its campaign.

Although Israeli defences intercepted most projectiles, one missile in early May struck near Ben Gurion airport. Israel has since launched several retaliatory strikes, targeting ports and Sanaa airport.

France 24 with AFP, BBC