Israel reveals new details of strategic strikes on Houthis
The Israel Defence Forces disclosed new details on Thursday morning about overnight airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.
A schoolyard in the Israeli city of Ramat Gan damaged by falling fragments from an intercepted ballistic missile fired by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen on Dec. 19, 2024. Photo by Yossi Zeliger/TPS-IL
The operation aimed to paralyze three ports controlled by the Iran-backed terror group’s operational capabilities — a move the army described as an “economic blow.”
The planned attacks, involving dozens of fighter jets, targeted maritime infrastructure, including tugboats used to guide ships into ports. This comes weeks after a previous strike in September that damaged cranes at the same ports, further impacting Houthi-controlled maritime activities.
The operation strike was launched early Thursday morning, with the first wave of attacks targeting Yemen’s coastal region at 3:15 a.m., followed by a second wave at 4:30 a.m. in the Sana’a area, the first Israel strike on the capital city.
Fourteen fighter jets flew over 1,700 kilometers to hit their targets, focusing on the ports of Ras Issa, Hodeidah, and al-Salif. Eight tug boats were destroyed, and strikes extended to fuel and oil tankers, as well as a power plant in Sana’a.
“The IDF precisely attacked Houthi military targets in Yemen, including ports and energy infrastructure, which the Houthis used for their military activity. Israel will not hesitate to act to defend itself and its citizens from Houthi attacks,” said IDF Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari.
The IDF noted that these attacks were planned weeks in advance and were not a direct response to the recent missile launch intercepted by Israel’s Arrow defense system. The missile had been launched after the Air Force jets took off. Tel Aviv residents were forced to take shelter and fragments from the intercepted missile damaged a schoolyard in Ramat Gan. No casualties were reported.
It was the second such attack in three days. On Monday, another missile was intercepted and a Houthi drone was destroyed over the Mediterranean Sea.
Since Hamas’s October 7 attack, the Houthis have launched more than 200 missiles and 170 drones at Israel. The majority have been intercepted before reaching Israeli airspace. Israel launched airstrikes on the Houthi-controlled Red Sea port of Al Hudaydah in July and September.
Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Houthi leaders against retaliating, saying, “Israel’s long hand will reach you as well. Whoever raises a hand against the State of Israel—his hand will be cut off.”
The Houthis vowed in early December to target any Israel-bound ship in the Red Sea, regardless of its ownership. They have attacked or harassed around 100 ships, hijacked the MV Galaxy Leader in November 2023 and are holding its crew of 25 hostage.
From bases along the Yemeni coast, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have threatened ships in the Red Sea as they traverse the Bab el-Mandeb Straits, a narrow maritime choke point between the Arabian Peninsula and Africa. The majority of the world’s oil passes through the strait from the Indian Ocean towards the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea.
