Israel strikes Houthi ports and power station in Yemen
Israeli forces conducted airstrikes against multiple Houthi targets in Yemen on Friday, targeting both coastal and inland infrastructure, the Israel Defence Forces confirmed.
An Israeli Air Force jet prepares to take off for airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen on Dec. 19, 2024. Photo by IDF Spokesperson/TPS-IL
Targets included the Hizaz power station, which the army said was a key electrical infrastructure supporting Houthi military operations. Additional strikes targeted facilities at the Ras Issa and Hodeidah ports along Yemen’s western coast.
The IDF said the strikes were in response to repeated Houthi attacks against Israel, including drone and missile launches targeting Israeli territory and civilian infrastructure. The military emphasized that the targeted facilities demonstrated the Houthis’ military use of civilian infrastructure.
“The Houthi terrorist regime serves as a major proxy in Iran’s terrorist network, undermining regional order and disrupting global maritime freedom,” the army said.
According to Hebrew media reports, the airstrikes were coordinated with US and British forces, though each country conducted separate operations.
Earlier on Friday, the Houthis claimed responsibility for an attempted drone attack on Israel on Thursday night. Israeli air defenses intercepted three UAVs.
Israeli leaders have increased their focus on the Houthis since the start of a ceasefire with Hezbollah, the collapse of Syria’s pro-Iran government, and Iraq’s Shi’ite militias ceasing their attacks.
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.
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 hostages.
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.
TPS
