1 month ago
32
You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load.
The assault came after a week of attacks by the Iran-backed militia on Israel.
Dec. 26, 2024Updated 11:20 a.m. ET
The Israeli military on Thursday unleashed a significant air assault on parts of Yemen controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi militia in retaliation for the group’s frequent attacks on Israel, in what analysts say may be turning into a long-distance war of attrition.
The attack damaged the international airport in Sana, the capital and a Houthi stronghold, according to initial reports from Yemen. The Israeli military said in a statement that in addition to the airport, the targets struck by its fighter jets also included the Hezyaz and Ras Kanatib power stations, describing them as “military infrastructure used by the Houthi terrorist regime for its military activities.”
The jets also struck military infrastructure in the Al-Hudaydah, Salif and Ras Kanatib ports on Yemen’s western coast, the military said.
In a statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said on Thursday: “An hour ago, the Air Force struck targets of the Houthi terrorist organization in Yemen, both on the coast and in Sanaa. We are determined to cut this arm of Iran’s Axis of Evil off.We will pursue this until we complete the task.”
In response to the Israeli strike, Mohammed Abdulsalam, a Houthi spokesman, released a statement saying, “The targeting of Sanaa International Airport and other civilian infrastructure is a Zionist crime against the entire Yemeni people.” He added, “If the Zionist enemy thinks that its crimes will deter Yemen from supporting Gaza, it is delusional.”
Israel and the Houthis, who act as the de facto government in much of northern Yemen, have traded fire since October 2023, when the Yemeni militia began firing rockets and drones at Israel in solidarity with Hamas since shortly after the Palestinian militia in Gaza led attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, prompting the war in the enclave.
