IDF fighter jets struck Houthi military targets in the area of the Hodeidah Port in Yemen, the IDF confirmed Saturday evening.
Israeli airstrikes reportedly targeted oil refining facilities in Yemen’s Hodeidah, according to the Houthi-run Yemeni news outlet, Al-Masirah.
Local sources in Yemen told Hezbollah-affiliated Al Mayadeen that there are power outages in several areas in Hodeidah as a result of the Israeli strikes that hit an electricity production plant.
Israel’s Defense Ministry reported that discussions on approving the operational plans to strike in Yemen took place on Saturday morning under the lead of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, alongside IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and other senior defense officials.
The decision was reportedly approved during a cabinet meeting on Saturday.
According to Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, who quoted a senior American source, the incident was attributable to Israel, which reportedly conducted the operation alone.
Footage of the aftermath of the Israeli strikes on Yemen’s Hodeidah. July 20, 2024. (Al-MasirahTV))
The senior official reportedly said that the location of the strike was a military target used by the Houthis for gaining and storing weapons.
The report followed explosions that were reportedly heard in the coastal Yemeni city.
Hodeida is controlled by the Houthis.
مشاهد أولية من الغارات المعادية على مدينة #الحديدة..#اليمن_يضرب_تل_ابيب #لستم_وحدكم pic.twitter.com/XwZhaeFQyr
— قناة المسيرة (@TvAlmasirah) July 20, 2024
Subsequent footage published by Al-Masirah was reported to show the aftermath of strikes on the refinery.
Houthi sources reportedly noted that their oil supply situation is stable and that they have a sufficient stock of oil derivatives.
According to the Houthi-run outlet, the health ministry reported that a number of people had been killed or wounded in the alleged strikes.
Israeli F-35s attack Houthi military targets
A Yemen-based correspondent for Al Mayadeen claimed that Israeli F-35 fighter jets were responsible for the strike.
Al Mayadeen quoted a member of the Houthi’s Political Bureau, Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti, stating, “The Zionist entity will pay the price for targeting a civilian facility, and we will meet escalation with escalation.”
Initial reports from Al-Masirah TV claimed the strikes were carried out by US and British forces before pivoting blame to Israel.
The Yemeni news organization, citing an official source, later stated that “Israeli enemy raids” targeted the Hodeidah governate’s energy infrastructure as well as fuel tanks.
The explosions follow the drone strike in Tel Aviv that was attributed to the Houthis, which killed one and wounded ten.
Gallant said on Saturday that Israel struck the Houthis in Yemen in order to send a message after they harmed an Israeli citizen.
“The fire that is currently burning in Hodeidah, is seen across the Middle East and the significance is clear,” Gallant said in a statement. “The Houthis attacked us over 200 times. The first time that they harmed an Israeli citizen, we struck them. And we will do this in any place where it may be required.”
On Friday, Israeli officials told Ynet that “there will be a response to the shooting of the Iranian drone by the Houthis” and that they would not rule out the possibility of retaliatory action on Yemeni soil, saying such action was “on the table.”
The Israeli strikes are the first time Israel has directly struck Yemen.
Jerusalem Post Staff and Reuters contributed to this report.
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