Israel retaliates for Houthi attacks on Tel Aviv with massive airstrikes against strategic assets in Yemen

Houthi terrorists attacked Tel Aviv with ballistic missiles three times last week

Read this article in:

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) bombed several targets near Yemen’s Hodeidah port, located around 1,800 km (1,100 miles) from Israel on Sunday evening, responding to recent ballistic missile attacks on Israel by the Houthi terrorists.

“In a large-scale air operation today (Sunday), dozens of air force aircraft, including fighter jets, refueling and intelligence planes… attacked targets used by the Houthi terrorist regime in the areas of Ras Issa and Hodeida in Yemen,” the IDF stated.

“The IDF attacked power plants and a seaport, which are used to import oil. Through the attacked infrastructures and ports, the Houthi regime transfers Iranian weapons to the region, and supplies for military needs, and thus also oil.”

More footage from the alleged Israeli strike on Hodeidah pic.twitter.com/w4XinIGBxc
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) September 29, 2024

The Israeli military said the strikes were a response to the repeated attacks on Israel by the Houthi terrorists.

The rebel group, which controls large parts of Yemen, fired three ballistic missiles at Tel Aviv on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, claiming to have aimed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he landed at Ben-Gurion International Airport on Saturday afternoon.

“Throughout the past year, the Houthi terror regime has been operating under the direction and funding of Iran and in cooperation with the Iraqi militias, in order to harm the State of Israel, undermine the regional order and disrupt global freedom of navigation,” the statement continued.

“The IDF is determined to continue to act and harm anyone who poses a threat to the citizens of the State of Israel, and at whatever distance it takes.”

An Israeli source told KAN News that the strikes were coordinated with the U.S. ahead of time, amid tensions between the governments after Israel reportedly didn’t update the Biden administration beforehand regarding its strike on Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

According to KAN, the strikes targeted civilian sites utilized for military purposes, including port installations and power plants. In addition, other media outlets reported that the Hodeidah airport and oil infrastructure were also struck.

Contrary to the previous strikes against the Houthis, the IAF this time also aimed for targets in Ras Issa, another port not far from Hodeidah.

"I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed (Psalm 18:37, NIV)," wrote Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on X.

"I followed the attack against the Houthis from the control room of the Air Force. The message is clear - for us, no place is too far."

The source added that the massive strikes, carried out with dozens of planes at a large distance from Israel, were meant to send a clear message to Iran, parts of which are closer to Israel than the Yemeni port.

אֶרְדּוֹף אוֹיְבַי וְאַשִּׂיגֵם וְלֹא אָשׁוּב עַד כַּלּוֹתָם״ (תהלים, פרק י״ח, פסוק ל״ח).

עקבתי מתא השליטה של חיל האוויר אחרי התקיפה כנגד החות׳ים. המסר ברור - עבורנו, אין מקום רחוק מידי. pic.twitter.com/1VcS8UvxzW
— יואב גלנט - Yoav Gallant (@yoavgallant) September 29, 2024

"Whoever wants to harm the citizens of the State of Israel - we will reach him," said IAF commander Maj.-Gen. Tomer Bar.

"We have many capabilities left to deepen and widen the impact [on the enemies]," Bar added.

Shortly after the strikes, senior Houthi official Nasr al-Din Amer claimed that the strikes had failed.

"We took the precautionary measures and emptied the oil reservoirs at the port of Ras Issa and the port of Hodeidah earlier, and prepared an emergency plan. The Zionists will not stop our actions, as we will make our actions more qualitative, God willing."

Another Houthi source claimed the group would retaliate for the strikes targeting civilian targets, by again attacking civilian targets in Israel.