- Israeli airstrikes targeted Houthi-controlled Hodeidah port after evacuation warnings
- Houthi officials reported at least 46 deaths and more than 160 injuries; the group said its air defenses intercepted some Israeli aircraft.
- Hodeidah, Yemen’s main gateway for food and aid, has long been accused by Israel of facilitating Iranian arms transfers to the Houthis.
Israel carried out airstrikes on Yemen’s Hodeidah port on Tuesday after issuing evacuation warnings to civilians and ships earlier in the day. The port, under the control of Houthi rebels, was struck for what Israel said were military facilities linked to the group.
According to Houthi authorities, at least 46 people were killed and more than 160 injured in the strikes. Rebel forces claimed their air defenses intercepted some of the attacking aircraft before they could reach additional targets.
Hodeidah is a critical lifeline for Yemen, serving as the entry point for most of the country’s food, fuel, and humanitarian aid.
The Houthis have controlled the port since 2014, when the group seized much of northern Yemen and triggered a war against a Saudi-led coalition backing the internationally recognized government.
Israel has accused the Houthis of working with Iran to move weapons through the port and of carrying out drone and missile attacks against Israeli and international shipping in the Red Sea. The strikes mark one of Israel’s most direct military escalations against the rebel group.
