CAIRO: Israel attacked ports and energy assets Thursday morning in territory controlled by the Houthi fighters and threatened further action against the Shiite militia, which has fired hundreds of missiles into Israel within the past year.
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While the Israeli jets were airborne, the Israeli military announced it had shot down a missile headed for central Tel Aviv which a military spokesman said killed and wounded dozens in a school building in Ramat Efal. The Houthis said that they launched the missile attack.
Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said the rebels targeting hypersonic ballistic missiles affected “two specific and sensitive military facilities… in the occupied Yaffa area meaning the Jaffa neighborhood near Tel Aviv.
The Israeli air raid involving 14 F15 fighter jets and other aircraft delivered two waves of attacks with the first wave targetting the Salif and Ras Issa ports and the second wave attacking Sanaa, the capital, said military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani.
“We undertook tremendous preparation for these operations, including attempts to codify the intelligence and to calibrate the strikes,” he said. The main Houthi-run TV news channel Al Masirah said that the airstrikes had left nine people dead, of which seven in Salif and two in the Ras Issa oil facility in the western province of Hodeidah.
In Sanaa, it also aimed two central power stations south and north of Sanaa the capital which according to Al Masirah has left thousands of families in the dark.
The Israeli attacks came after a Monday airstrike by US aircraft on a command and control center run by the Houthis, who dominate large parts of Yemen.
Iran described the raids as a “severe violation of principles and norms of international law, the UN Charter”.
Threats, warnings
Since announcing their attacks on international shipping near Yemen in November last year in solidarity with Palestinians in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Houthis said they had fired two ballistic missiles at the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, hitting “precise military targets”.
They also promised to react to the Israeli attacks. “The recent Israeli attack will not prevent Yemen from responding to this vicious aggression and supporting Gaza,” the group’s military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a televised address.
Israel’s military announced specific experts were investigating the place of the attack in Ramat Efal, while it remained unclear whether one or two rockets had been launched.
Certain Israeli media announced that the missile struck the school, however, Shoshani said that early observations pointed to it being struck by missile fragments. There was speculation that the fuel tank “which is an enormous piece of metal, kept going” after the missile was intercepted, he said. “But again, we will be smarter when we see the results at the scene,” he said.
FAQs
1. Why did Israel target Yemen’s port and energy infrastructure?
Israel’s actions may stem from security concerns, regional tensions, or perceived threats. The exact reasons depend on the geopolitical dynamics and specific incidents prompting such measures.
2. How does this affect Yemen?
Targeting ports and energy infrastructure could severely impact Yemen’s economy, trade, and access to essential goods, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation.
3. What are the implications for regional stability?
Such strikes could escalate tensions in the Middle East, potentially involving other regional or international actors, increasing the risk of broader conflict.
4. How has the international community reacted?
Global responses vary. Some nations might condemn the strikes, while others could express support, depending on their alliances and perspectives on Middle Eastern politics.
5. Is there any connection to the broader Yemen conflict?
Yes, Yemen has been a hotspot of proxy wars involving regional powers. This strike may relate to those dynamics, especially if it involves groups aligned against Israeli interests.