Aden (Yemen)/Jerusalem, Sep 30 (IANS) At least four people were killed and 49 others injured in Israeli airstrikes on Yemen’s Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, media reported, citing health sources.
The Houthi-run al-Masirah TV on Sunday described the attacks as “Israeli aggression,” detailing that the port in the Ras Issa area and power stations in the districts of Al-Hali and Al-Katheeb were attacked, Xinhua news agency reported.
“Four people were killed, including a port worker and three engineers at Al-Hali electricity power station,” the television said, adding that 49 others were injured and rescue operations are still ongoing.
Earlier on Sunday, Israel’s military said it had conducted airstrikes on Houthi targets in Hodeidah, striking power plants and a seaport which it alleged the Houthis used for transferring weapons, military supplies, and oil.
The air raid involved dozens of aircraft, including fighter jets, mid-air refueling planes, and intelligence aircraft, with the targets located around 1,800 km from Israel.
A pro-government Yemeni official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that more than 10 airstrikes targeted key infrastructure, including oil tanks, airport, and other port facilities along the Red Sea coast.
Meanwhile, residents said they heard jets roaring overhead, and ambulances were seen rushing through the streets. They added that Houthi fighters have cordoned off the targeted areas.
Meanwhile, the Houthi group issued a statement, informing residents in areas under its control that “it has already taken the necessary measures for any emergency and that the fuel supply is stable”.
The Israeli military said that “the strikes were carried out in response to recent attacks by the Houthis against Israel,” referring to two missiles launched toward central Israel from Yemen — one fired at a military target in the Jaffa area of Tel Aviv on Friday and the other targeting the Ben Gurion Airport, near Tel Aviv, on Saturday. Both missiles, intercepted by Israel’s aerial defences, caused no injuries.
The Israeli airstrikes on Houthi targets expanded its confrontation with Iran’s allies in the region after killing Hezbollah’s top leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, on Friday in an escalating conflict in Lebanon.
Yemen’s Houthis have launched sporadic attacks on Israel and disrupted “Israeli-linked” shipping in the Red Sea since November last year, allegedly to support Palestinians in their conflict with Israelis.
–IANS
int/khz
