Israel struck targets in Yemen on Monday night, the Israeli military said, one day after the Iranian backed Huthis fired a ballistic missile that hit Israel’s main airport.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had vowed to retaliate at a time and place of Israel’s choosing and promised Sunday that a powerful response would be coming.
The Huthi-run Ministry of Health said at least one person had been killed and another 35 injured in an Israeli strike on a cement factory in Bajil, east of Hodeidah.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that 20 of its fighter jets took part in the mission – the first Israeli strikes in Yemen in months – hitting dozens of Huthi targets in Hodeidah and surrounding areas.
“The seaport in Hodeidah is used for the transfer of Iranian weapons, equipment for military purposes, and other terror-related need,” the IDF said in a statement. Israeli fighter jets also targeted a cement factory east of Hodeidah for its use in the construction of tunnels and military infrastructure, the IDF said.
The Huthi-run TV channel Al-Masirah said the port of Hodeidah was hit at least six times, as well as confirming the attack on the nearby cement factory.
The Israeli military made several attempts to intercept the ballistic missile fired at Tel Aviv on Sunday, but failed to bring it down, resulting in a successful attack on the heavily defended facility. The strike appeared to be the first time Israel’s international airport has been successfully targeted by the group.
On Sunday night, the Iran-backed rebel group said it would “impose a comprehensive air blockade” on Israel by “repeatedly targeting airports,” especially Ben Gurion. It called on international airlines to plan accordingly and cancel all scheduled flights to Israeli airports.
Netanyahu convened Israel’s security cabinet Sunday afternoon to discuss the incident.
“We acted before, we will act in the future too,” said Netanyahu in a video posted on social media. “I can’t elaborate on all of that. The US, in coordination with us, is also operating against them. It’s not ‘one and done,’” he said.
Israel has launched several rounds of strikes against the Huthis in Yemen, including the targeting of a power plant and maritime ports in January. The US military has carried out far more extensive strikes on targets in Yemen in recent months, aiming to weaken the group and disrupt Huthi attacks on US Navy ships and commercial vessels operating in the Middle East.
But the attacks have done little to stem the launch of Huthi projectiles at Israel or at US warships in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb, two of the world’s most strategically important waterways. The Huthis launched ballistic missiles at Israel over three consecutive days, culminating in the strike that hit the airport. Last week, a US F/A-18 fighter jet fell off an aircraft carrier in the Red Sea after the ship made a hard turn to evade a Huthi attack.
“The whole world is being challenged by the Huthis,” Netanyahu told Cypriot President Nikos Christodoudiles on Sunday. “We will not tolerate it. We will take very strong action against them. And we always remember that they act with their patron Iran’s direction and support.”
The Huthis warned on Sunday night that they could strike again and would “impose a comprehensive air blockade” on Israel by “repeatedly targeting airports,” especially Ben Gurion. It called on international airlines to plan accordingly and cancel all scheduled flights to Israeli airports.
