Published: 09:21, July 21, 2024
Israel bombs Houthi oil sites in Yemen's Hodeidah, several killed
By Xinhua

A handout picture obtained from Yemen's Huthi Ansarullah Media Center show a huge column of fire erupting following reported strikes in the Yemeni rebel-held port city of Hodeida opn July 20, 2024. (PHOTO / ANSARULLAH MEDIA CENTRE / AFP) 

SANAA/JERUSALEM - Israel's military confirmed Saturday that it bombed sites affiliated with the Houthi militia in Yemen, a day after the military group's explosive drone killed a man in Israel's Tel Aviv.

The Yemeni Houthi military group claimed that the strike targeted oil storage and electric facilities in Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, and several people were either killed or injured, the group's al-Masirah TV reported in a correction story.

Israeli military said in a statement that its fighter jets targetted "military targets" of the Houthi militia, as a response to "the hundreds of attacks carried out against the State of Israel in recent months."

The statement came after Houthi top negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam said the Israeli strikes would not stop the military group from targeting "Israeli cities and ships."

ALSO READ: Yemen's Houthis target three vessels, including oil tanker, in Red, Mediterranean seas

The Houthi group alsovowed to launch retaliatory attacks against Israel after the latter’s airstrikes on Hodeidah.

"The Israeli enemy launched a brutal aggression on Hodeidah, targeting the power station, the port, and the fuel storages, all of which are civilian targets," Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a televised statement.

"We will not hesitate to hit vital targets in Israel," he said, reiterating that Tel Aviv will not remain a safe area.

Oil tanks burn at the port in Hodeidah, Yemen, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (PHOTO / AP)

Hodeidah residents said a big column of black smoke and fire at the scene could be seen miles away. Fire trucks and ambulances rushed to the scene as the authorities cordoned off the area near the Red Sea, said the residents.

Local health authorities have yet to reveal the exact number of casualties, the Houthi-run TV said.

ALSO READ: Yemen's Houthis conduct military operations in Gulf of Aden, Israel's Eilat

The alleged strikes came a day after the Houthi group claimed responsibility for a bomb-laden drone attack on a building in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, which according to Israeli media killed one person and injured 10 others.

The Houthis said the Friday drone attack came in support of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip currently under Israeli offensive. Before that, the Houthis had continued a series of drone and missile attacks against what it called Israeli-linked shipments in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November 2023 in a way to show solidarity with Gaza.

In response, the US-British naval coalition in the waters attacked Houthi targets to deter the group, but only led to Houthi expansion of attacks to include US and British commercial and military ships.

READ MORE: US military says destroyed 5 Houthi boats, 3 drones

Hodeidah has been under the control of the Houthi group along with several northern cities, including the capital Sanaa, since late 2014, driving the internationally recognized government out to the southern and eastern provinces.