Israel carried out a series of airstrikes against Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah early on Monday morning, the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported. This followed evacuation warnings from the Israeli military for various strategic sites along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.
In a late Sunday statement, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) military spokesperson Avichay Adraee, addressing the Arabic-speaking public, threatened that the IDF would strike locations engaged in hostile operations. He cited the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Isa, and Salif, as well as the Hodeidah power plant, as target locations within the near future.
The spokesman said these areas were being utilized for military activities, wherefore the attack decision was made. Al-Masirah TV said explosions were heard throughout Hodeidah province, but there were no reports of immediate casualties or destruction.
The escalation constitutes a major development in the local tensions that have widened since the Gaza conflict started. The Houthis, who are Iran allies, have conducted several missile and drone strikes against Red Sea shipping routes in recent months under the pretext of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Israel still has not made an official confirmation of the strikes. Nevertheless, tensions still run high, and more military action might exacerbate instability in the already war-scarred region.