Israel has issued evacuation warnings for three key Yemeni ports and bombed the Sanaa airport, signaling a major military escalation after being excluded from the US-Houthi ceasefire agreement.
Key Takeaways
- Israeli military struck Yemen’s Sanaa airport, disabling the airfield and destroying commercial aircraft in response to a Houthi missile attack near Tel Aviv.
- Israel has ordered evacuations of Ras Isa, Hodeidah, and Salif ports, indicating further strikes may be imminent.
- President Trump announced America would cease strikes against Houthis claiming they had “capitulated,” but the ceasefire excluded Israel.
- Israel’s Defense Minister vowed Israel would “defend itself by itself” after being left out of the US-Houthi agreement.
- The Houthis have reported at least seven killed and 74 wounded from Israeli strikes but maintain they will continue targeting Israel in support of Palestinians.
Israel Takes Independent Military Action Against Houthi Targets
The Israeli military has dramatically escalated tensions in the region by bombing Yemen’s rebel-held capital airport in Sanaa, effectively disabling the airfield and setting commercial aircraft ablaze. This aggressive move comes as a direct response to a Houthi ballistic missile strike that nearly reached Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion International Airport. The attack is part of Israel’s broader strategy to confront threats independently after being excluded from a ceasefire deal between the United States and Yemen’s Houthi rebels, which was brokered with Omani mediation.
Following the airport strikes, Israel issued evacuation warnings for three strategic Yemeni ports – Ras Isa, Hodeidah, and Salif – through a message posted by IDF Arabic media spokesperson Avichay Adraee on social media. This marks the second evacuation warning within a week, strongly suggesting imminent military action against these coastal facilities. The 50-bomb operation against Sanaa airport required mid-air refueling, demonstrating Israel’s military reach and determination to respond forcefully to perceived threats.
US-Houthi Ceasefire Excludes Israel
President Trump recently declared victory in the Red Sea conflict, announcing that America would stop striking Houthi targets after claiming they had “capitulated” and agreed to cease attacks on international shipping lanes. This agreement, however, explicitly excluded Israel, leaving the Jewish state to confront Houthi threats independently. The diplomatic breakthrough was facilitated by Oman’s foreign minister Badr al-Busaidi, who has been mediating between various parties in the region, including between the United States and Iran regarding Tehran’s nuclear program.
“Today’s news about the situation in the Red Sea means that diplomatic efforts have led to the end of the conflict between the US and Ansar Allah in Yemen. They will no longer target each other, ensuring freedom of navigation for international commercial shipping in the Red Sea,” said Badr al-Busaidi, Oman’s Foreign Minister.
Despite the ceasefire with the United States, Houthi leaders have remained defiant toward Israel, warning that they will continue targeting Israeli interests in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The group has even issued veiled threats regarding President Trump’s planned visit to the region, suggesting that continued Israeli military actions could affect his travel plans.
Israel Vows Self-Defense Against All Threats
Israeli officials have made it abundantly clear that they will not rely on international agreements that exclude their security concerns. After being left out of the US-Houthi ceasefire arrangement, Defense Minister Israel Katz emphasized that Israel remains ready to defend its citizens against any threat, including those posed by the Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen.
“Israel must be able to defend itself by itself against any threat and any enemy. This has been true in the face of many past challenges, and it will remain true in the future,” said Defense Minister Israel Katz.
The human toll of the conflict continues to rise, with the Houthis reporting at least seven people killed and 74 wounded over two days of Israeli attacks. Meanwhile, Israel’s military campaign extends beyond Yemen, as strikes in Gaza reportedly killed at least 18 people, including children, in a school sheltering displaced Palestinians on the same day as the Sanaa airport bombing. The UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, has described the Israeli strikes as a “grave escalation” and urged restraint, but with both sides entrenched in their positions, the conflict appears poised to intensify further.
