Operation Long Arm: Israel Attacks Yemen Port Following Deadly Houthi Drone Attack on Tel Aviv

“The fire currently burning in Hudaydah is seen across the Middle East and the significance is clear,” said Israel’s Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant. This morning: IAF intercepts missile from Yemen towards Eilat using Arrow-3 aerial defense system

Operation Long Arm: Israel Attacks Yemen Port Following Deadly Houthi Drone Attack on Tel Aviv

Smoke rises from a fire following an Israeli air strike in Hodeidah, Yemen in this handout photo released on July 20, 2024. Houthi Media Centre/Handout via REUTERS

Israel attacked targets used by the Houthi terrorist regime in the Hudaydah Port area in Yemen yesterday (Saturday), in response to the hundreds of drone attacks on the State of Israel in recent months – and in direct response to a deadly drone attack launched at Tel Aviv on the early hours of Friday morning. This marks the first time Israel admits to directly attacking Yemen, in what has officially been named Operation Long Arm. 

The drone that struck Tel Aviv was an Iranian-made Samad-3, modified for extensive range, the IDF said. Although it had flown to Israel from Yemen for several hours it was not intercepted due to a human error. Shrapnel from the explosion heard clearly throughout the city, killed 50-year-old Yevgeny Ferder in his home, wounded several others, and caused extensive property damage.  

The Hudaydah Port is Yemen’s principal Red Sea harbor. The IDF said that it targeted Houthi military sites in the area of the port, used for weapon storage. The press added that the strikes targeted and hit oil depots and Iranian arms storage facilities hidden by the Houthis, as well as an airport used for arms transfer. Local media reported on dozens of injuries.

“Air Force jets embarked on an operational strike over a distance of more than 1,800 kilometers and attacked targets in the Hudaydah Port area in Yemen,” said IDF Spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagary.

“The Hudaydah Port area serves as a supply route for the transfer of Iranian weapons from Iran to the Houthi terrorist regime and constitutes a significant economic source for it. This is the most distant target from Israeli territory ever attacked by the Air Force.”

“In recent months, Houthi terrorist elements have been working to destabilize and disrupt order in the Middle East and the region as a whole. The Houthi terror is controlled and funded by Iran, and it harms the freedom of navigation, regional ports, the Suez Canal, and global trade as a whole. The IDF will continue to operate anywhere and as necessary against terrorist threats and to ensure the security of the citizens of the State of Israel.|

Hagari also stressed that Israel has nothing against the Yemeni people, and is only targeting the Houthi terror.

“The fire currently burning in Hudaydah is seen across the Middle East and the significance is clear,” said Israel’s Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant, in a statement. “The Houthis attacked us over 200 times. The first time that they harmed an Israeli citizen, we struck them. And we will do this in any place where it may be required.

“The blood of Israeli citizens has a price. This has been made clear in Lebanon, in Gaza, in Yemen, and in other places - if they will dare to attack us, the result will be identical."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “The port that was targeted is not an innocent port. It’s used as their entry point for weapons that are supplied by Iran to its Houthi terrorist proxies. ‏The Houthis have used those weapons to attack Israel, to attack Arab states in the region, to attack many others.

“This strike comes in direct response to the killer drone attack yesterday that killed one person and injured several others, a hundred yards from the US Consulate in Tel Aviv. But the aggression of the Houthis goes well beyond that single attack. ‏Because for the past eight months, the Houthis have launched hundreds of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones against Israel.

The Houthis began threatening and attacking Israel shortly after Hamas’ October 7th massacre, and have been linking their acts to Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza. These threats have significantly disrupted maritime traffic in the Suez Canal. The Houthis, backed and funded by Iran, have targeted vessels navigating this critical waterway, instilling fear and uncertainty among shipping companies. These threats have led to increased security measures, delays, and ship rerouting, resulting in higher operational costs and a slowdown in global trade. 

The strategic importance of the Suez Canal as a conduit between Europe and Asia means that any disruption can have far-reaching economic consequences, affecting regional stability and the efficiency of international supply chains.

‏”The international community must redouble its efforts to protect this vital waterway and to hold both the Houthis and their Iranian sponsors accountable for their aggression,” Netanyahu said. 

The Houthis’ Supreme Political Council vowed to avenge the Israeli attack. Last night, reports were received of explosions in the area of the city of Eilat – the main target for Houthi drone attacks. An IDF investigation concluded that no firing was directed at the city, and no interceptor was launched. However, around 6:30 AM this morning sirens sounded again. This time, the IDF announced it intercepted a missile sent from Yemen using the Arrow-3 aerial defense system. 

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