Israel launched airstrikes on the Yemeni city of Hudaydah on Tuesday, targeting military infrastructure allegedly used by the Houthi rebels.
“The Hudaydah Port is used by the Houthi terrorist regime for the transfer of weapons supplied by the Iranian regime, in order to execute attacks against the State of Israel and its allies,” a statement from the Israeli military said.
Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree responded on X, stating, “Our air defences are currently confronting the Israeli aircrafts that are launching an aggression against our country.”
He further mentioned that Houthi air defences created significant confusion for Israeli aircraft, forcing them to retreat from Yemeni airspace before carrying out the attacks, thereby thwarting Israel’s efforts to penetrate deeper into Yemen.
This escalation came as the Yemeni public held funeral services for 31 journalists killed in Israeli airstrikes last week, reports AP/UNB.
The strikes last Wednesday followed a drone launched by the Houthis that breached Israel’s multilayered air defences and slammed into a southern Israeli airport, blowing out glass windows and injuring one person.
In Yemen, the Israeli airstrikes targeted several locations in Sanaa, including residential areas, a military base, and a fuel station.
The health ministry in the rebel-held northern part of the country reported numerous fatalities, while the culture ministry claimed that the National Museum of Yemen was also damaged. Images from the site showed visible damage to the building. A government facility in the city of Hazm, the capital of northern Jawf province, was also hit.
The Israeli military previously stated that it targeted Houthi intelligence gathering sites, a fuel storage facility, and a “public relations department responsible for distributing propaganda messages in the media.”
On Tuesday, Al-Masirah TV aired footage of the funeral proceedings, showing the mourners inside a mosque as the coffins of the deceased were carried for burial. An honour guard stood beside the coffins.
Israel’s airstrikes have been a recurring response to the Houthis’ missile and drone attacks on Israel. The Houthis justify these actions as solidarity with Palestinians in the war in Gaza. For over 22 months, the Houthis have also targeted ships in the Red Sea.
The Committee to Protect Journalists stated on Monday that it is investigating the deaths of the Yemeni journalists but faced challenges verifying the information in Sanaa, where Houthi authorities have imposed strict censorship, including a ban on sharing related images or videos.
Human Rights Watch also condemned the strikes, stating that they hit a media centre housing two newspapers.
“The recent Israeli forces’ attack further highlights the threats journalists are facing in Yemen, not just by domestic authorities but also by external warring parties,” said HRW.
