Israel strikes Yemen’s Al-Hudaydah in first-ever naval attack on Houthis

By Ahmed Asmar

The Israeli military on Tuesday confirmed that its navy carried out missile strikes on Yemen’s Al-Hudaydah port, marking the first time Israeli naval forces have been used in direct attacks on Yemeni territory.

In a statement, the Israeli army said its navy launched strikes against what it described as infrastructure for the Houthi group in Al-Hudaydah port.

It added that the attack came in response to a missile attack by the Houthis on Monday evening against Israel, which Israeli media claimed to have fallen short before reaching Israel.

The Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV, for its part, confirmed the Israeli attack on Al-Hudaydah.

It, however, did not report any casualties or material damage.

The Israeli military issued evacuation warnings late Monday for the Yemeni ports of Ras Isa, Al Hudaydah and Al-Salif amid threats of strikes.

Army spokesperson Avichay Adraee posted on X that the ports, which are under Houthi control, must be cleared immediately “to ensure the safety of those present until further notice.”

The Houthis have intensified missile and drone strikes on Israel since the Israeli military resumed attacks on Gaza in March after two months of a shaky ceasefire.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have also targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea in support of Palestinians in Gaza, where nearly 55,000 people have been killed in the Israeli onslaught.