All previous Israeli strikes on the Houthis, around 10, were conducted by the IAF.
According to the IDF, the navy’s unique capabilities to attack, including from close range without having to immediately fly back to Israel so as not to run out of fuel, is allowing the IDF to attack targets at the Hodeidah port which it was more difficult for the air force to attack in around 10 prior aerial attacks on the Houthis dating back to July 2024.
Despite these prior attacks, the Houthis have managed to continue to use aspects of the Hodeidah port for terror purposes to advance attacks on Israel using ballistic missiles and drones.
The latest attack by the navy is designed to deepen the harm to the Houthis’ ability to strike Israel, though even after the naval attack on Tuesday, the IDF did not say it expected Houthi attacks on Israel would end.
Defense Minister Israel Katz praised the operation, saying, “I congratulate the Navy on the successful attack on the port of Hodeidah in Yemen. Israel’s long arm, both in the air and at sea, will reach everywhere. We warned the Houthi terrorist organization that if they continue to fire at Israel, they will face a powerful response and enter a naval and air blockade. That’s what we did today – and we will continue to do so in the future.”
Importantly, The Jerusalem Post has learned that Katz did not mean a physical blockade of Israeli naval ships are or will be positioned off the coats of Yemen to prevent maratime commerce.
Rather, Katz meant that to the extent that Israel has repeatedly struck all of the Houthis’ major maritime ports and its international airport, no countries or businesses are coming anywhere near those areas in order to avoid getting caught up in the conflict.
Since the start of the war, the Houthis have fired well over 400 ballistic missiles and drones at Israel, with Jerusalem not directly responding until an Israeli in Tel Aviv was killed by a Houthi drone in July 2024.
From that point on, the IDF has periodically launched air strikes on Hodeidah, on Sanaa International Airport, and on other ports and electrical facilities of the Houthis.
Yet, Israeli intelligence has told the Jerusalem Post that the Houthis are difficult to deter and that short of an end to the war or the Houthis’ Sunni opposition in Yemen toppling them from areas which they currently control, it will be hard to completely end Houthi firing on Israel.
In fact, recent weeks have seen more frequent Houthi ballistic missile attacks on Israel than in some other periods of the war, despite more frequent Israeli aerial counterattacks.
One problem Israel has now is that the US cut a separate deal with the Houthis not to attack American ships, but this did not address attacks on the Jewish state.
This has meant that there is now far less American pressure on the Houthis for their attacks on Israel than there was at earlier points in the war, though for a few months in early 2025, the Trump administration had escalated attacks on the Houthis.
Earlier Tuesday morning, an Israeli official confirmed Israel’s attack to The Jerusalem Post even before the IDF message went out.
The strikes follow a statement from the Israeli military’s Arabic spokesperson late on Monday, posted on X, urging the evacuation of the Houthi-controlled Yemeni ports of Ras Isa, Hodeidah, and Salif.
IDF Spokesperson in Arabic, Avichay Adraee, issued an evacuation notice for three seaports in Yemen, according to a X/Twitter post on Monday night.
“Warning to all those present in the seaports controlled by the terrorist Houthi regime: Ras Isa Port, Hodeidah Port, Al-Salif Port,” the post read.
“Due to the terrorist Houthi regime’s use of seaports for its terrorist activities, we urge all those present at these ports to evacuate and stay away from them for your own safety until further notice.”
Previous Israeli attacks on Yemeni ports
This comes after a series of Israel Air Force attacks in Yemen. On May 28, Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that the Air Force struck Sana’a International Airport and destroyed the Houthis’ last remaining aircraft. The attack was carried out as part of Operation Golden Jewel.Fifteen fighter jets operated in daylight to disable two main ports in Yemen, after a long period of focused intelligence gathering. According to IDF estimates, the ports that were hit are not expected to return to full operation before a month has passed.
Katz said that the operation was “a clear message” to the Houthis regarding the terror group’s targeting of Israel.
Content retrieved from: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-857139.
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