Israel Air Force (IAF) carried out targeted airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen on Sunday, with Defence Minister Yoav Gallant asserting that ‘no place is too far’ for Israeli forces. The attacks have taken lives of four while injured 29 others, said the Houthi-run health ministry.
This comes as Israel has successfully neutralised Hezbollah chief, Hassan Nasrallah in Bierut, Lebanon. The fresh ambush specifically targeted Houthi-controlled sites including power plants and seaport crippling dozens of aircrafts and fighter jets at the Ras Issa and Hodeidah ports of Yemen, according to a statement by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).
Sharing a post on X, IDF said, “The IAF struck military targets belonging to the Houthi terrorist regime in Yemen in response to their recent attacks against Israel.”
It added, “The targets included power plants and a seaport, which were used by the Houthis to transfer Iranian weapons to the region, in addition to military supplies and oil.”
‘No Place Is Too Far’
Following Israeli airstrikes on Yemen, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stated, “I visited the IAF command and control center, where I followed the strike conducted today against the Houthi terrorist organization. Our message is clear – for us, no place is too far.” The strikes mark a significant escalation in Israel’s military operations in the region.
Meanwhile, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi reaffirmed Israel’s ability to target enemies at farther distances by saying, “This isn’t a message, it’s an action,” reported Times of Israel.
He added, “We know how to reach very far, we know how to reach even farther, and we know how to strike there accurately.”
Who Are The Houthis
The Houthis are an armed and politically charged religious group that allies itself with Yemen’s Shia Muslim minority called the Zaidis. According to a BBC report, They claim to be part of an Iranian-backed group that opposes Israel, the US, and Western countries, along with other armed groups like Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Aa per the IDF, Houthis have been operating under the direction and funding of Iran, and in cooperation with Iraqi militias to attack the State of Israel and ‘undermine regional stability’.
Hezbollah’s Retaliation
As Israel’s Beirut bombing of Friday costed Hezbollah its top leader, the organisation launched missile strikes targeting Haifa and northern Israel.
After Nasrallah’s death, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stern warning to Iran’s Ayatollah regime, stating that anyone who targets Israel will face ‘consequences.’ He further stated that ‘no location’ in Iran or the Middle East is ‘beyond Israel’s reach.’