Fatshimetrie — Israeli aggression in Yemen: a dangerous escalation
In a series of deadly strikes, the Israeli military targeted Houthi targets in Yemen early Thursday, in retaliation for a recent attack by the Iran-backed terror group on Israel. The operation resulted in the deaths of nine people and wounding three others in Israeli strikes on a port and an oil facility near the capital Sanaa. Deputy head of the Houthi media bureau Nasruddin Amer confirmed the casualties, while Houthi Al-Masirah TV said the Israeli strikes targeted the Heyzaz and Dhahban power plants near the capital, as well as the Hodeidah port and the Ras Isa oil facility.
Israeli military authorities justified the strikes in response to Houthi missile and drone attacks on Israel over the past year, most of which were intercepted. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has warned Houthi leaders that Israel’s hand will reach them as well, and that any aggression against the State of Israel will be met with a decisive response.
Tensions between Israel and the Houthis have escalated in recent months as Israel wages its war against Hamas in Gaza following attacks by the Palestinian terror group in October. Sirens sounded in Israel after the Israeli military intercepted a missile launched from Yemen, damaging a school but causing no injuries. The Houthis later claimed simultaneous missile attacks on Israeli military targets in the Tel Aviv area.
The conflict between Israel and the Houthis comes as Israel continues its operations in Gaza, with the situation escalating with warnings of a wider conflict in the Middle East. The Houthis have attacked Israel and its allies, disrupting vital Red Sea shipping lanes, in response to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza that has resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians. The group, which controls Yemen’s most populous areas, has said it will only stop its attacks on Israel and its allies if a ceasefire is established in the Palestinian enclave.
In July, the Houthis claimed responsibility for a deadly drone strike in Tel Aviv, marking the terror group’s first such attack on the city. In retaliation, Israel launched devastating airstrikes on a Yemeni port, targeting Yemen for the first time. In September, the Houthis fired a missile into Israeli territory, followed by a drone strike that hit a building in central Israel earlier this month.
In addition to Israel, the United States, Israel’s main ally, has also carried out strikes against the Houthis in Yemen several times over the past year.. This escalation of violence threatens to further destabilize the region and have devastating consequences for civilians caught in the middle of ongoing conflicts. It is imperative that the international community intensify its efforts to achieve a peaceful and lasting resolution to end this spiral of violence that threatens regional peace.