Four casualties reported in Israeli strike targeting Houthi facilities in Yemen.
Israel takes out several significant Hezbollah figureheads. In response to Nasrallah's assassination, Houthi associates retaliate with a missile assault. Israel then counterstrikes in Yemen, resulting in fatalities and numerous injuries.
Following intel from military sources, Israeli Air Force deployed a substantial operation involving over 50 combat planes, striking targets linked to the "Houthi extremist group" in Ras Isa and Hudaida regions. As announced by the army. The primary targets included power stations and a harbor utilized for oil imports. The harbor was supposedly utilized by the Houthi insurgents to import Iranian arms and military equipment, according to the Israeli military. The allegations, however, couldn't be substantiated independently. A port worker and three engineers were reportedly killed, while over 30 individuals sustained injuries, as per Al-Masirah Yemeni television channel.
After the attacks on a Sunday, Defense Minister Joav Gallant stated that Israel would retaliate against its adversaries, no matter the location. "Our message is unequivocal - no location is out of our reach," Gallant clarified. The command center directing the operation was located approximately 2000 kilometers away from Yemen.
The Israeli airstrike was initiated following a series of Houthi attacks. On Saturday evening, rocket alerts were triggered in various districts in central Israel and Tel Aviv's coastal city due to a projectile fired from Yemen. The projectile was successfully intercepted by the military before entering Israeli airspace.
Similar to Lebanese Hezbollah, the Houthi militants belong to the alleged "Resistance Axis" led by Iran, which also includes Hamas terror organization in Gaza Strip. Following the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike, the Houthi militants threatened Israel with further assaults on Saturday. Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Huthi declared in a televised address that his militants were aiming for "escalation" and "enhancement of performance" after the recent drone and rocket attacks on Israel.
Israel last attacked Yemen at the end of July. The Israeli Air Force had targeted the Hudaida port, in response to a fatal drone attack by the Houthi militants on Tel Aviv. A drone loaded with explosives hit a residential building in the city's center, killing a man and injuring several others.
The European Union, expressing concern over the escalating tensions, issued a statement calling for de-escalation and respect for international law. In the aftermath of the Israeli airstrike, the Houthi militants invoked the support of their allies, including potential mention of financial or military aid from countries like Iran or Syria, which are members of the European Union's list of countries under surveillance due to terrorism concerns.
