WATCH: Israeli Air Force helicopter blasts Houthi drone out of the air
Yemen’s Houthis launched six drones at southern Israel; two crashed mid-flight, three were intercepted by Israeli forces, and one struck Ramon Airport, wounding two people.
Yemen’s Houthis launched six drones at southern Israel; two crashed mid-flight, three were intercepted by Israeli forces, and one struck Ramon Airport, wounding two people.
The latest attacks come just days after Israeli airstrikes killed much of the Houthi leadership, striking a gathering of senior officials.
The meeting was partly convened to watch Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the group’s leader and officially al-Rahawi’s deputy, deliver a televised speech from another location.
On Thursday, Israeli security sources had said the targets had been various locations where a large number of senior Houthi officials had gathered to watch a televised speech recorded by leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi.
The targeted power stations, Asar and Hizaz, were described as significant electricity infrastructure exploited by the Houthis for military purposes.
In addition to the strikes on Houthi ports, the Ras Kantib power station was attacked, the IDF said, due to its use by the Houthi regime for supplying electricity to terrorist operations.
This marks the first time the Israeli Navy has struck Houthi positions in Yemen.
Ultimately, enhancing Israel’s offensive posture against the Houthis may require a diversified approach beyond long-range air strikes.
Although it is usually stationed in Jordan, it landed in Yemen today, and the strike was carried out half an hour later.
This attack follows a series of Houthi missile and drone attacks in recent weeks, including a ballistic missile strike near Ben-Gurion International Airport on May 4 that wounded eight civilians and disrupted air traffic.
Israel attacked the Houthi rebels in Yemen’s capital Sanaa on Tuesday.
A direct military campaign against Yemen would play directly into Iran’s hands. Not only would it be logistically difficult and potentially prolonged, but it would also have limited strategic impact.
Since the start of the war on Oct. 7, 2023, Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched around 40 surface-to-surface missiles and 320 UAVs toward Israel, according to the IDF.
The Yemen-based terror group has fired dozens of ballistic missiles, and hundreds of UAVs at Israel, and virtually stopped shipping through the Red Sea because of their incessant attacks.
Hours later, the military said that the Air Force had also intercepted a drone launched from Yemen.
It was the first time air-raid sirens sounded in Jerusalem since the Iranian attack on Oct. 1.
The strikes came during a televised address by Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.
The Houthis had launched a ballistic missile at Tel Aviv on Saturday, which resulted in a direct impact and injured 16 people from flying shrapnel.
In the last few weeks, the Houthis launched several ballistic missile and drone attacks, prompting Israeli leadership to approve strikes on vital ports and energy infrastructure.
Early Thursday morning, the Israeli Air Force targeted Houthi-controlled ports and oil facilities in Yemen after the terror group launched a ballistic missile, triggering sirens across central Israel.
