Israeli Navy Hits Houthi Port in Yemen with Missile Strike

Post by : Bianca Suleiman

Photo: AP

For the first time ever, Israeli Navy missile boats attacked a port in Yemen that is controlled by the Houthis. This happened on Tuesday morning, according to a statement from the Israeli military.

There were no reports of injuries after the strike.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the missile attack came after the Houthis launched several missiles and drones at Israel. The most recent attack from the Houthis was on Monday night.

This was a major action by the Israeli Navy, as the port city of Hodeida in western Yemen is around 1,800 kilometers (or about 1,100 miles) away from Israel. Military officials called this strike “unprecedented,” meaning it had never happened before in this way.

The IDF said that two long-range guided missiles were fired from Sa’ar 6-class Navy ships. These are advanced missile boats that can stay at sea for long periods and strike from far away. Until now, all ten previous attacks on the Houthis had been done by Israeli Air Force jets.

Officials explained that using Navy ships is sometimes better than using jets or drones. The ships are already in the sea and can fire missiles quietly without being seen easily.

The Houthis have not yet made any comment about the strike. Also, no videos or photos have been shared by either side.

Since Israel’s last air strike on the Houthis on May 28, the Houthis have fired seven ballistic missiles and at least one drone toward Israel. One missile was fired on Monday night but didn’t reach Israel.

The IDF said Tuesday’s attack was meant to damage parts of the Hodeida port that are being used by the Houthis for military purposes. They also said the port helps the Houthis move weapons and plan attacks. Israel believes the Houthis are using this civilian port for terrorist activities.

This port has been hit several times by Israel in the past year. The military said they want to show local merchants that the port is now part of a war zone, so they should avoid sending goods through it.

On Monday, the IDF had warned people to leave the port of Hodeida and nearby ports called Ras Isa and Salif. However, only the Hodeida port was targeted in Tuesday's strike.

After the attack, Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, warned the Houthis again. He said if the Houthis keep attacking Israel, they will face stronger attacks and might be blocked by sea and air.

He added, “We warned the Houthi terror group. If they keep firing at Israel, we will respond with more force. That’s what we did today and will keep doing.”

The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, have been attacking Israel since November 2023. They started after the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. The Houthis’ slogan includes the words “Death to Israel” and “Death to America.”

When a ceasefire was reached between Israel and Hamas in January 2025, the Houthis stopped firing for a while.

By that time, they had already launched more than 40 ballistic missiles, many drones, and cruise missiles at Israel. One missile in July even killed a civilian and injured others in Tel Aviv. That led Israel to launch its first-ever strike in Yemen.

Since March 18, when Israel began new operations in Gaza, the Houthis have fired 47 missiles and 11 drones toward Israel. Some of the missiles didn’t reach their target.