Israel bombs ports, power plant in Yemen as Houthis fire more missiles

Israel’s military has bombed three ports and a power plant in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, prompting the rebel group to fire more missiles towards Israeli territory.

The Israeli military said on Sunday that it struck the ports of Hodeidah, Ras-Isa and as-Salif on the Red Sea coast as well as the Ras Kathib power plant.

Hours after the strikes, the Israeli military said two missiles were launched from Yemen and attempts were made to intercept them, but the results of interception were still under review.

The Israeli ambulance service said it had not received any calls regarding missile impacts or casualties following the launches from Yemen.

Since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023, the Iran-aligned Houthis have fired at Israel and at shipping in the Red Sea, disrupting global trade, in what it says are acts of solidarity with the Palestinians.

Most of the dozens of missiles and drones fired toward Israel have been intercepted or fallen short. Israel has carried out a series of retaliatory strikes.

Israel also attacked Galaxy Leader ship in Ras Isa port, which was seized by Houthis in late 2023, the military added on Monday.

“The Houthi terrorist regime’s forces installed a radar system on the ship, and are using it to track vessels in international maritime space, in order to promote the Houthi terrorist regime’s activities,” the military said.

The Houthi military spokesperson said following the attacks that Houthis’ air defences confronted the Israeli attack ‘by using a large number of domestically produced surface-to-air missiles’.

Residents told Reuters that the Israeli strikes on the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah put the main power station out of service, leaving the city in darkness.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported that Israel launched a series of strikes on Hodeidah, shortly after the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for people at the three Yemeni ports.

The assault comes hours after a ship was attacked off of Hodeidah and the ship’s crew abandoned it as it took on water.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but security firm Ambrey said the vessel fits the typical profile of a Houthi target.

Israel has severely hurt other allies of Iran in the region – Lebanon’s Hezbollah and the Palestinian fighter group Hamas.

The Houthis and pro-Iranian armed groups in Iraq are still standing.

The group’s leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, created the force challenging world powers from a group of ragtag mountain fighters in sandals.

Under the direction of al-Houthi, the group has grown into an army of tens of thousands of fighters and acquired armed drones and ballistic missiles. Saudi Arabia and the West say the arms come from Iran, though Tehran denies this.