{"id":17505,"date":"2025-05-16T18:06:14","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T18:06:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/?p=17505"},"modified":"2025-05-16T18:29:42","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T18:29:42","slug":"israel-launches-airstrikes-on-yemens-ports-as-gaza-war-expands-regionally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/2025\/05\/16\/israel-launches-airstrikes-on-yemens-ports-as-gaza-war-expands-regionally\/","title":{"rendered":"Israel Launches Airstrikes on Yemen\u2019s Ports as Gaza War Expands Regionally"},"content":{"rendered":"

Watan-<\/em><\/strong>On Friday evening, the Israeli Air Force launched \u201cintense\u201d airstrikes on Yemen\u2014marking the eighth Israeli attack on the country since the Gaza war began and the third since the resumption of Israeli operations in the besieged Strip.<\/p>\n

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The airstrikes targeted Yemen\u2019s Red Sea ports of Hudaydah (for the sixth time) and Salif (for the second time), both located in areas under the control of Ansar Allah (the Houthis) in western Yemen.<\/p>\n

Media outlets affiliated with the Houthis confirmed the \u201cIsraeli aggression\u201d on both ports, while Israeli Channel 12 also reported the strikes, citing an Israeli security source who said:<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo ports, Hudaydah and Salif, were attacked using dozens of bombs and more than 10 aircraft.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Jerusalem Post quoted an Israeli official linking the airstrikes to continued Houthi missile launches targeting Israel, while Israeli broadcaster KAN said the objective was to \u201cimpose a blockade on the Houthis.\u201d
Army Radio cited a military source stating:<\/p>\n

\u201cIsrael is working to enforce a tight naval blockade on the Houthis by destroying their ports.\u201d<\/p>\n

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the attacks, saying:\u201cWe bombed two Houthi ports, and this is only the beginning\u2026 We will not stand idly by in the face of Houthi aggression.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"U.S.
The Houthi movement announced 10 new U.S. airstrikes across northern Yemen, bringing the total to over 1,300 since mid-March<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Houthis Vow Escalation and Support for Gaza<\/h3>\n

In response, Ansar Allah spokesperson Nasreddin Amer declared:<\/p>\n

\u201cOur operations in support of Gaza will not stop, and the blockade on Zionist ships will remain in place.\u201d
He added:\u201cWe will continue military pressure to impose an aerial blockade on Israeli airports and expand our operations in retaliation for the massacres in Gaza and the attacks on Yemeni ports.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Thursday, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, leader of Ansar Allah, said that nine operations had been conducted that week using ballistic and hypersonic missiles and drones, including strikes on Ben Gurion Airport aimed at enforcing a no-fly zone over Israel.<\/p>\n

This comes after a Yemeni hypersonic missile reached the vicinity of Ben Gurion Airport on May 4, breaching Israeli air defenses. The Houthis have pledged to maintain both air and maritime blockades and have issued warnings to international airlines.<\/p>\n

Since October 2023, Ansar Allah has carried out frequent missile and drone attacks on Israeli targets in solidarity with Gaza, where Israel has waged a war resulting in catastrophic civilian losses.<\/p>\n

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\u2014 \u0627\u0644\u062c\u0632\u064a\u0631\u0629 \u0641\u0644\u0633\u0637\u064a\u0646 (@AJA_Palestine) May 16, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n