Israel's military carried out a series of airstrikes early Monday targeting ports and infrastructure controlled by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who responded by launching missiles toward Israel.
The escalation follows an attack on Sunday on the Magic Seas, a Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned cargo ship in the Red Sea, which caught fire and was eventually abandoned by its crew. Security sources believe the ship was struck by bomb-laden drone boats after being fired upon with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades. While Houthi media reported on the incident, the group has yet to officially claim responsibility, something it often delays by hours or days.
Ports are being used by Houthi terrorist regime: Israel
The Israeli military confirmed that it struck key Houthi-held ports in Hodeidah, Ras Isa, and Salif, along with the Ras Kanatib power station. "These ports are being used by the Houthi terrorist regime to transport weapons from Iran, which are then used to carry out terror operations against Israel and its allies," said the Israeli Defense Forces in a statement.
Among the targets was the Galaxy Leader, a Bahamas-flagged vehicle carrier seized by the Houthis in November 2023 at the onset of their Red Sea attacks related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Israel alleged that the rebels had installed radar equipment on the ship to track international maritime traffic and plan further assaults. The vessel, previously operated by Japanese firm NYK Line, was affiliated with an Israeli billionaire, although no Israeli nationals were reportedly onboard at the time of its capture.
Houthis say they “effectively confronted” the attacks
The Houthis acknowledged Israel’s latest airstrikes but did not disclose the extent of the damage. Their military spokesperson, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, claimed their air defense systems had “effectively confronted” the attacks, though no supporting evidence was provided.
While Israel has struck Houthi positions before, including a naval strike in June, this marks a continuation of its solo operations. Both Israel and the US have targeted Houthi-controlled sites in recent months, including a US strike in April that killed 74 people. However, with the Houthis maintaining missile fire toward Israel, the Israeli military has taken independent action in this latest offensive.
The developments unfold as tensions mount across the region, with a fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire still uncertain, and Iran reconsidering its stance on nuclear negotiations following American airstrikes on key atomic facilities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently en route to Washington for talks with US President Donald Trump amid the growing unrest.
