A series of intense airstrikes rocked Yemen's rebel-held capital, Sanaa, and the port city of Hodeida early Thursday. The strikes came shortly after a Houthi missile targeted central Israel, raising tensions in the region.
The party responsible for the airstrikes on Sanaa and Hodeida remains unclear, with initial indications suggesting Israel may have conducted the assault. Houthi-controlled media reported the strikes, mentioning targets such as power stations in the capital and the Ras Isa oil terminal on the Red Sea.
Hodeida, a crucial port for food shipments into war-torn Yemen, has long been suspected of being a conduit for weapons from Iran. The strikes in Hodeida and Sanaa followed the interception of a missile launched from Yemen by the Israeli military, prompting rocket and missile sirens in Tel Aviv and surrounding areas.
While the Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility for the missile attack on Israel, they hinted at an upcoming military statement. Israel has previously targeted the Houthis in response to attacks, including striking Hodeida and its oil infrastructure in July after a drone attack by the rebels.
American forces have also been involved in strikes against the Houthis due to their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea corridor. The U.S. military recently targeted a key command-and-control facility in Sanaa, although they denied involvement in the latest airstrikes.
The Houthis have been accused of targeting merchant vessels with missiles and drones, with over 100 incidents reported since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. The rebels claim to target ships linked to Israel, the U.S., or the U.K., but some attacks have affected vessels with no apparent connection to the conflict.
The wider Yemen war, in which the Houthis are engaged in a stalemate with a Saudi-led coalition, has resulted in a devastating humanitarian crisis. The conflict has claimed over 150,000 lives, including civilians, and has led to one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters, with tens of thousands more believed to have perished.
