Israeli fighter jets bombed sites in Yemen associated with the Iran-backed Houthi militia on Saturday in response to a deadly drone attack in Tel Aviv the day before, according to four U.S. officials and two regional officials. It was the first time Israel has publicly attacked the group in months of escalating tensions.
The Israeli airstrikes targeted gas and oil depots and a power station in the area of Yemen’s Red Sea port of Hodeidah, controlled by the Houthis. The port is the site of oil export facilities and a vital conduit for civilian goods and humanitarian aid to Yemen.
There was no immediate comment by the Israeli military.
On Friday, the Houthis claimed responsibility for firing a long-range drone that hit the coastal city of Tel Aviv, killing one Israeli and wounding several others.
The Houthis, a Yemeni militia supported by Iran, have fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel in what they call a campaign of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. They have also threatened commercial ships passing through the Red Sea to blockade the Israeli port of Eilat.
The United States and Britain, alongside their allies, have struck hundreds of Houthi targets in Yemen since November and have been sharing intelligence with Israel for months. However, the four U.S. officials said Israel acted alone on Saturday, with no American military involvement.
Nasruddin Amer, a Houthi spokesman, wrote on social media after the Israeli bombardment that the group’s position on Gaza would not change, and that “Yemen’s operations in support of Gaza will not stop.”
The deadly Houthi drone attack in Tel Aviv, which struck close to an American diplomatic compound, was a rare breach of Israel’s air defenses. Most of the missiles and drones fired by the Houthis at Israel have been shot down by U.S. and Israeli forces.
Until Saturday, Israel had avoided a direct attack against the Houthis in Yemen, which is more than 1,000 miles away. But the drone attack in Tel Aviv appeared to change that.
Yoav Gallant, the Israeli defense minister, vowed on Friday that the country would “get even” with the militants in a “sharp and surprising way.” The next day, Israeli planes flew in broad daylight toward Yemen.
