Israel’s Defense Minister Confirms Naval Strike on Yemen’s Hodeidah Port, Warns of Future Actions
“We warned the Houthi terrorist organization that if they continue to fire toward Israel, they will face a powerful response and be subjected to a naval and aerial blockade,” Katz stated. “That is what we did today — and we will continue to do so in the future.”
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Israel’s Minister of Defense, Israel Katz, on Tuesday publicly confirmed that the Israeli Navy carried out a successful strike on Yemen’s western port city of Hodeidah, in what he described as a direct response to continued Houthi attacks targeting Israel.
“I commend the Navy for the successful strike on the port of Hodeidah in Yemen,” Katz wrote in a post on social media platform X. “Israel's long arm — in the air and at sea — will reach anywhere.”
Katz’s statement followed earlier warnings issued by Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee, who on Monday evening called for the evacuation of several Houthi-controlled ports, including Ras Isa, Hodeidah, and Salif. Adraee said these ports had become operational military threats under the control of the Iran-backed Houthi movement.
“We warned the Houthi terrorist organization that if they continue to fire toward Israel, they will face a powerful response and be subjected to a naval and aerial blockade,” Katz stated. “That is what we did today — and we will continue to do so in the future.”
Yemen’s Al-Masirah TV, affiliated with the Houthis, first reported the Israeli airstrikes on Hodeidah early Tuesday morning. The strikes appear to mark a significant escalation in Israel’s military engagement beyond its northern and southern borders, extending its operations into the Red Sea region.
This is not the first time Israel has targeted Houthi infrastructure in Yemen. A previous strike reportedly hit a fuel depot in Hodeidah — a vital economic asset for the Houthis — which Israeli officials claimed was being used to smuggle weapons and military supplies from Iran.
Tensions between Israel and the Houthis have grown since October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants broke through the border from Gaza and launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, killing civilians and taking others hostage. The Houthis have launched multiple missile and drone attacks toward Israel in recent months, citing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Most of those attacks have been intercepted or failed to reach their targets.
