Israel confirms strikes on Houthi targets at Yemen's Hodeida port

Monday 21 July 2025 - 14:15

Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced on Monday that the Israeli military carried out airstrikes targeting what were described as “terrorist sites” operated by the Houthi rebel movement at the strategic port of Hodeida in western Yemen.

The strikes, according to an official statement, hit infrastructure linked to the Houthis, including fuel containers, naval vessels allegedly used for military purposes, and equipment for rebuilding port facilities previously damaged in earlier attacks. The Israeli military emphasized that these targets were being used in hostile operations against the State of Israel.

The Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV channel confirmed that the port was hit by multiple strikes. A Houthi official told AFP that one of the main docks, recently reconstructed after a prior bombing, was destroyed.

“Just as I’ve said before, Yemen’s fate will be no different from Tehran’s. The Houthis will pay a heavy price for launching missiles toward Israel,” Gallant warned in his remarks.

According to the British maritime security firm Ambrey, four merchant vessels were present in the port at the time, but no damages to commercial ships have been reported so far.

The airstrikes come after a renewed wave of missile attacks launched from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen on July 10 and July 16. All were intercepted before reaching Israeli airspace.

Since late 2023, the Iran-backed Houthis have repeatedly launched missiles toward Israel and attacked vessels suspected of links to Israel in the Red Sea. The group claims these actions are acts of solidarity with the Palestinian population in Gaza amid Israel’s ongoing military operations against Hamas following the deadly October 7, 2023 attacks.