Israeli navy ships have targeted ports in Houthi-controlled Yemen’s port city of Hudaydah, with the aim of stopping the use of the port for military purposes. The strikes were carried out in response to Houthi missiles targeting Israel and had no immediate reports of casualties.
The attacks come after a series of incidents involving Houthi missile launches at Israel, including one that hit the grounds of Israel’s main airport last month. The Houthis have regularly launched rockets at Israel in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Hudaydah port, which handles most humanitarian aid for millions of Yemenis, has been targeted by Israeli strikes before. Last month, an Israeli strike killed one person and put the port out of action for around a month.
The Houthi group, backed by Iran, has controlled much of north-western Yemen since 2014. The conflict in Yemen began after the Houthis ousted the internationally-recognised government from Sanaa in 2014, leading to a devastating civil war.
Houthi missile attacks on ships have disrupted global seaborne trade, prompting major shipping companies to reroute through southern Africa instead of using the Red Sea. In response, US President Joe Biden launched air strikes against the group last year, which ramped up after Donald Trump took office until a ceasefire was reached in May.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c80k4kj9lyro