Yemeni rebels, known as Houthis, have accused Israel of causing civilian casualties in airstrikes targeting the port of Hodeidah on Saturday. This follows a deadly drone attack on Tel Aviv claimed by the Iran-backed group just a day earlier
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed airstrikes against "military targets of the Houthi terrorist regime" in Hodeidah. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed these strikes were a direct response to the death of an Israeli citizen in the Houthi drone attack.
First Strike of its Kind
This is the first instance of Israel directly attacking targets within Yemen. The Houthi-controlled Al Masirah TV reported the strikes targeted oil facilities, causing civilian casualties and damaging a power station.
A Houthi spokesperson, Yahya Saren condemned the "brutal Israeli aggression" and vowed a strong response, potentially targeting vital Israeli infrastructure.
“We have prepared for a long war with this enemy until the aggression stops and the blockade on the Palestinian people is lifted,” Saree said.
Netanyahu Warns of Long War
Netanyahu defended the strikes, claiming Hodeidah port was used for military purposes and funneling Iranian weapons to the Houthis. "Hodeidah was not an innocent port
It was used for military purposes, it was used as an entry point for deadly weapons supplied to the Houthis by Iran" Netanyahu sad.
He emphasized the long reach of Israel's military capabilities.
UN Calls for De-escalation
The United Nations Secretary-General expressed deep concern over the airstrikes, urging all parties to avoid civilian casualtie⁰⁰s and infrastructure damage (paragraph 8).
Shift in Israeli Strategy
IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari also cited the recent wave of projectiles launched by the Houthis towards Israel as a reason for the strikes (paragraph 9). Notably, this is the first time Israel has directly intervened in Yemen, despite previous Houthi attacks on US and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, situations where the US and UK have intervened (paragraph 10 & 11).
US Acknowledges Israeli Right to Self-Defense
An Israeli defense official confirmed the independent nature of the strike, suggesting a change in Israeli strategy (paragraph 12). While the White House confirmed President Biden received a briefing on Middle Eastern developments, they emphasized the lack of coordination with Israel on the airstrikes but acknowledged Israel's right to self-defense (paragraph 13).
This reframed version uses British English terms like "airstrikes" instead of "air raids," "defence" instead of "defense," and "spokesperson" instead of "spokesman." Additionally, it streamlines the text by linking related paragraphs for smoother flow.
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