The Israeli Air Force struck targets at the port of Hodeidah in Yemen, two hours after a public warning was issued by IDF Arabic-language spokesperson Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee.
The IDF confirmed the attack in a statement: "A short while ago, the IDF struck a military infrastructure site belonging to the Houthi terrorist regime at the Hodeidah Port in Yemen."
The statement added that the port is "used by the Houthi terrorist regime for the transfer of weapons supplied by the Iranian regime, in order to execute attacks against the State of Israel and its allies."
"The strike was carried out in response to the repeated attacks by the Houthi terrorist regime against the State of Israel, including the launch UAVs and surface-to-surface missiles towards the State of Israel. The Houthis terrorist regime operates under the direction and funding of the Iranian regime in order to harm the State of Israel and its allies. The terrorist regime is exploiting the maritime domain to project force and to carry out terrorist activity against global shipping and trade routes," the IDF said.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said the Israeli Air Force carried out the strike on Yemen’s Hodeidah port as part of Operation Eyes from Above, aimed at maintaining the naval and aerial blockade on the Houthi terrorist organization.
“The Houthi terrorist organization will continue to be struck and will pay a heavy price for any attempt to attack the State of Israel,” Katz said.
The Houthi-run Al-Masirah channel reported that this was a series of 12 attacks on three docks in the port of Hodeidah. The Saudi Al-Hadath reported, citing sources, that the attacks "were targeted against infrastructure in the port of Hodeidah."
In a message shared earlier, Adraee wrote: “The IDF will carry out a strike in response to the military activity of the Houthi terrorist regime. For your safety, we urge all those present at the port of Hodeidah and aboard docked vessels to evacuate immediately. Anyone who remains in the area is endangering their life.”
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed that the group's air defenses "are currently engaging Israeli aircraft attacking our country." According to Saree, the air defense systems “caused significant confusion among the enemy aircraft and forced some to retreat from Yemeni airspace before carrying out their strikes. Their deep incursion was thwarted.”
Such statements have become routine in recent months. In previous Israeli strikes in Yemen, the Houthis similarly claimed to have "prevented" portions of the IDF’s attacks and praised the performance of their air defense systems.
First published: 16:22, 09.16.25