Israeli Navy Strikes Rebel-Held Hodeida Port in Yemen
Dubai, Jun 10 (AP) — On Tuesday, the Israeli navy launched an attack on docks in Yemen's Hodeida port, a key rebel-held facility critical for the delivery of aid to the war-stricken and hunger-ravaged nation. The attack likely caused damage to facilities essential for humanitarian efforts.
According to the Israeli military, the strikes were carried out by navy missile ships and marked their first involvement in assaults against the Houthi rebels. The attack took place amidst ongoing missile and drone attacks by the Houthis against Israel, as part of the latter's military campaign in the Gaza Strip.
The Houthi rebels, through their al-Masirah satellite news channel, confirmed that docks were targeted, although they did not provide further details.
Prior to the attack, Israel issued online warnings to Yemeni residents, urging them to evacuate Ras Isa, Hodeida, and al-Salif ports due to the alleged use of these seaports by the Houthis for launching attacks.
“The port is used to transfer weapons and is a further example of the Houthi terrorist regime's cynical exploitation of civilian infrastructure in order to advance terrorist activities,” stated the Israeli military on Tuesday.
Hodeida serves as the main entry point for food and other humanitarian aid to Yemenis since the conflict began in 2014 when the Houthis took control of Yemen's capital, Sanaa.
The Houthis have consistently launched missile and drone strikes against both commercial and military ships in the region, describing it as an effort to end Israel's military actions in Gaza.
From November 2023 to January 2025, the Houthis targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, resulting in the sinking of two ships and the deaths of four sailors. This has significantly impacted the trade flow through the Red Sea corridor, which typically facilitates trade worth $1 trillion annually.
The Houthis paused their attacks during a self-imposed ceasefire until mid-March when the US initiated a comprehensive assault against the rebels. President Donald Trump suspended these attacks shortly before his Middle East visit, claiming the rebels had “capitulated” to US demands.
On Tuesday, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth tweeted that US Navy ships had crossed the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait “multiple times in recent days” without encountering attacks from the Houthis.
Hegseth noted that these movements “occurred without challenge and demonstrate the success of both Operation ROUGH RIDER and the President's Peace Through Strength agenda.” He made these remarks ahead of his first congressional appearance since revealing sensitive details of America's military operations against the Houthis in a Signal chat.
The response from the Houthis to the naval attack, as opposed to an aerial one, from the Israelis remains uncertain.
Meanwhile, the prolonged conflict in Yemen between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed exiled government continues in a stalemate. (AP)
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