Israel Strikes Ports and Power Facility in Houthi-Controlled Parts of Yemen

Israeli warplanes bombed ports and a power plant in Yemen’s Houthi-controlled enclave on Friday, the Israeli military said, in the latest effort to force the Iran-backed militant group to stop firing on Israel and commercial ships in the Red Sea.

Israel has increased its strikes against the Houthis in recent weeks due to repeated attacks by the Yemeni army, which has been firing into Israel in cooperation with Hamas in Gaza.

The United States and Britain have also repeatedly attacked Yemen in an attempt to protect international waterways from Houthi attacks. But it was not clear whether Israel and its allies would be able to force the Houthis to end their offensive with a bombing campaign.

The Israeli Air Force bombed the Hezyaz power station near Sana’a – the Houthi-controlled capital – not far from where thousands of Yemenis had gathered for a weekly rally in solidarity with the Palestinians. The ports of Hudaydah and Ras Isa, which are Yemen’s main oil export hubs, were also attacked, the Israeli military said in a statement.

Experts have warned that attacking ports such as Hudaydah, a major transit route for vital goods in northern Yemen, could exacerbate what is already one of the world’s worst disasters. Due to the civil war for more than a decade, millions of people in Yemen face the threat of malnutrition, according to the United Nations.

The Israeli military said it had struck areas that were being used by the Houthis for military purposes. Another worker at the Hezyaz power station was injured, according to al-Masira, a broadcaster affiliated with the Houthis. There were no other immediate reports of serious injuries.

“The port of Hudaydah is paralyzed and the port of Ras Isa is on fire,” Israel Katz, Israel’s defense minister, said in a statement. “The message is clear: Anyone who harms Israel will be beaten tenfold.”

The Houthis are more than 1,000 miles from Israeli territory and have survived numerous attempts to defeat them since they came to power in Yemen’s decade-long civil war. The United States designates the Houthis as a terrorist group, and some of its regional allies – such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – have targeted them as well.

Since Israel’s attack led by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 caused the war in Gaza, the Houthis fired hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel. They also disrupted shipping around the world by shooting at passing boats in a self-proclaimed effort to enforce the Israeli blockade.

In the past two months, the Houthis have intensified their attacks, sending Israelis in central Israel rushing to bomb shelters late at night as airstrikes ring out. On Thursday, Houthi forces shot down three drones in Israeli territory; Israeli soldiers say they have arrested all of them.

Israel has attacked Yemen several times in response – sending its warplanes more than 1,000 miles to do so – but has struggled to defeat the Houthis. The United States and its allies have repeatedly attacked the Houthis in the past year without deterring them from future attacks.

After Friday’s strikes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “the Houthis are paying, and will continue to pay, a heavy price for their abuse of us.”

On Friday, Mr. Katz threatened to kill Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the group’s leader, and some of its leaders.

“No one is immune,” said Mr. Katz. “We will hunt you down and destroy the terrorist infrastructure they have built. The long arm of Israel will reach you, wherever you are.

Jonathan Reisscontributed reporting from Tel Aviv.