Israel strikes Yemeni city of Hodeidah and destroys port, Houthis vow revenge

(Patria) - The Israeli military said it carried out airstrikes on the Yemeni port of Hodeidah last night, a day after Houthis fired a missile that landed near Israel's main airport. The military stated in a statement that it attacked Houthi terrorist targets in Hodeidah and its surroundings.

At least 21 people were injured in the attacks, said Anees al-Asbahi, a spokesman for the health ministry run by the Houthis, Reuters reported.

The Houthis closed the area around the port and a cement factory after the attack, three sources said. They said the extent of damage to the port was not known, but that the intensity of the attack and fires caused serious damage to the container berth.

Two other sources estimated damage at 70% of five docks, warehouses and the port's customs area. The attacks occurred while two ships were unloading cargo, and traffic at the port was completely halted, a port worker said.
The port is the second largest in the Red Sea after Aden and is an entry point for about 80% of food imports into Yemen.

More than ten attacks targeted the port of Hodeidah and the Al Salakhanah and Al Hawak neighborhoods in the city of Hodeidah, five residents told Reuters. Four attacks also targeted a cement factory east of Hodeidah.

"The attack was carried out in response to repeated attacks by the terrorist Houthi regime against the State of Israel, in which surface-to-surface missiles and drones were launched at the territory of the state and its citizens," the Israeli military said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed revenge for Sunday's missile attack, which was the first known attack to evade Israeli air defenses in a series of attacks since March.
Houthi official Abdul Qader al-Mortada said in a post on social media platform X, commenting on the attack, that Israel should expect the "unimaginable."

A U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity said U.S. forces were not actively involved in yesterday's attacks, but that there is general coordination between the two allies.

Meanwhile, an oil company run by the Houthis announced that it had activated an emergency system for supplying fuel to cars, due to difficulties in unloading cargo at the Ras Isa oil port. It attributed this to U.S. attacks on the country, including the port.

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered attacks on the Houthis in March. The attacks killed hundreds of people, while Israel has largely limited its attacks on Yemen since December last year.

Earlier on Monday, Israel approved a plan that could include taking over the Gaza Strip and controlling aid to the Palestinian enclave.

The war in Gaza began after Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, when 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage. Israel's offensive on Gaza has killed more than 52,000 Palestinians and destroyed much of the enclave.