Israeli warplanes hit Houthi targets in Yemen

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Israeli warplanes hit targets across Yemen on Thursday, including international airports, energy facilities and ports, in retaliation for missile attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Jewish land.

The Israeli army said on Thursday it had carried out “intelligence-based strikes” on targets used by Yemen-based Houthi rebels for “military operations”, as well as entry points used by Iranian officials and armed robbers.

Among the areas hit are Sana’a international airport, two power stations and three ports on the west coast of the country including Hodeidah.

At least four people were killed and 16 injured during the attacks, according to local news reports from Yemen, although the extent of the damage to various buildings remains unclear.

A humanitarian delegation led by the head of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was present at Sana’a airport during the attacks.

According to Tedros’ statement, one of the flight crew was injured, although he said UN and WHO officials were “safe”.

He added: “We will have to wait for the damage to the airport to be repaired before we can leave.

According to Israeli media reports, about two warplanes took part in the daytime attack, which is the fourth direct attack by Israel in Yemen since last summer. the second in as many weeksafter the Houthis recently increased missile attacks on the Jewish state.

“We are determined to cut off this terrorist arm of every Iranian evil. We will persist in this until we finish the job,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday.

At least five ballistic missiles have been fired into central Israel in the past 10 days, including on Christmas morning, sending millions of civilians fleeing to bomb shelters.

Twice Israeli air defenses failed to completely intercept incoming projectiles, and one hit a school and the other a stadium in the Tel Aviv area, which injured 16 people.

The Houthis, who control northern Yemen and the capital, began shelling merchant ships in the Red Sea and launching armed drones and missiles at Israel following an attack by the Gaza-based militant group Hamas on the 7th. October 2023 against the Jewish state, they say they are still working. in solidarity with the Palestinians.

Their raids disrupted shipping on one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes.

Along with Hamas, the Lebanese militant group Hizbollah and Shia militias in Iraq and Syria, the Houthis are part of an “axis of resistance” led by Iran whose capabilities have been severely damaged by Israel in recent months.

A naval force, led by US and UK forces, attempted to protect merchant ships in the area.

Last week coalition jets launched airstrikes on what the US military described as Houthi “command and control” centers in Sana’a.

The militant leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, was giving his weekly televised address when the bombings began.

Israel Katz, Israel’s Defense Minister, on Thursday also vowed to “hunt down” the Houthi leadership and “take down” the group just as he said Israel had done to Hamas and Hizbollah.

Houthi officials have vowed to continue their attacks on Israel and international shipping as long as the war in Gaza continues.

Cartographer by Steven Bernard