Houthis vow ‘effective’ strikes on Israel after naval attack on Yemeni port

SANAA, Yemen / ISTANBUL

The Houthi group threatened “effective” strikes against Israel on Wednesday, following an Israeli naval attack against the Al-Hudaydah Port in western Yemen.

“Our response to the Zionist (Israeli) aggression against our country will be from different directions, with deliberate, effective, and vital strikes,” senior Houthi leader Mahdi al-Mashat said in a statement.

Mashat warned the staff of foreign embassies near “legitimate goals” in Tel Aviv to evacuate their headquarters.

On Tuesday, the Israeli Navy carried out missile strikes on Al-Hudaydah, marking the first time Israeli naval forces have been used in direct attacks on Yemeni territory.

After the Israeli naval attack, the Houthi group launched two ballistic missiles on Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, causing the suspension of flight operations.

The Houthis have intensified missile and drone strikes on Israel since the Israeli military resumed attacks on Gaza in March after two months of a shaky ceasefire.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have also targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Arabian Sea in support of Palestinians in Gaza, where nearly 55,000 people have been killed in the Israeli onslaught.