Jerusalem/Dubai – July 21 2025 The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have officially confirmed conducting targeted airstrikes against Houthi-controlled military infrastructure located in Hodeidah port, Yemen’s Hodeidah region. Defense Minister Israel Katz announced the operation Monday stating it sought to “forcefully counter any attempt to restore terror infrastructure previously attacked”, warning that should Iran continue its missile or drone campaigns against Israel then it too would meet similar fate as Tehran would do according to Reuters/i24NEWS.
An IDF spokesperson reported that the air assault successfully struck key Houthi assets such as engineering vehicles engaged in port repair, fuel storage tanks, naval vessels poised for hostile maritime activity, and assorted “terror infrastructure” used for attacking Israeli targets and Red Sea shipping, such as engineering vehicles engaged in port repairs, fuel storage tanks and terror infrastructure such as engineering vehicles involved in port repair activities, as well as engineering vehicles used to facilitate port repairs (Engineering Vehicles engaged in port repair activities), engineering vehicles engaged in port maintenance activities (such as port repair work), engineering vehicles engaged in port repair activities at port repair centers or to repair port repairs at ports; military aircraft successfully struck these assets successfully: engineering vehicles engaged in port repair of port repairs at ports; terrorist infrastructure assembles (Reuters +15), which facilitate attacks against Israeli targets or Red Sea shipping shipping vessels (Tornadoes +15), as reported by I24NEWS (i24NEWS +15).
This was part of an ongoing campaign against Houthi infrastructure; partly in response to recent missile launches–including one at Ben Gurion Airport that was intercepted July 18ot Yahoo +15 Reuters = +15 and is being processed now as reported on by Reuters =+15 (Yahoo +15 + 15 = 15), Yahoo =15 AND Reuters= 15 [Reuters + 15 ].
At the outset of the Gaza conflict in October 2023, Iran-aligned Houthi forces launched repeated drone and missile raids aimed at Israel as well as against commercial vessels traveling along vital Red Sea shipping lanes. As a response, IDF, US, and UK air and naval strikes targeted Houthi positions across Yemen including airports such as Hodeidah Ras Isa Salif Sanaa (HODIEDAH RASISA SALIF SAANAA (SANAA) power stations most recently in early July 2023 and May (Source Wikipedia +11
Notably, U.S.-led strikes under “Operation Rough Rider” from March to May 2025 caused significant damage to Houthi capacities including radar systems, defense systems and drone-launching sites (Reuters +15; Wikipedia +15 and JFeed +15).
Operation Black Flag, the IDF’s Monday strike against Hamas in Gaza, continues its pattern of pressure in order to deter further aggression and prevent future aggression by Hamas.
Defense Minister Katz issued a warning: no safe harbor for militants as the strikes targeted Houthi attempts to rebuild port-based terror infrastructure. As I have stated clearly — Yemen’s fate is comparable with Tehran in that Houthis will pay a heavy price for firing missiles towards Israel, and repeated that Israel would act “at all times and in all places to defend its sovereign state” (Reuters +2).
Broader Implications for Regional Security
Shipping and Commerce Risk: Houthi attacks threaten maritime transit in the Red Sea, prompting international naval escorts and increased military attention.
Escalation in Yemen: Israel, the U.S. and U.K.’s involvement in successive strikes highlights Yemen’s rising role within wider Middle Eastern conflicts.
Israel’s direct association of Houthi activities with Tehran signals a broad confrontation against Iranian influence from Gaza to the Red Sea.
What Are My Next Steps
With Houthi forces likely viewing this as an attack against their Red Sea capabilities, analysts expect further escalation – whether through increased missile launches toward Israel or increased retaliatory strikes from them – with complex questions of maritime security, deterrence posture and proxy warfare dynamics at play in this strategic contest.
Israel is taking swift action to counter Houthi-backed missile threats; however, its strike risks ensnaring Yemen further into regional conflicts related to Gaza and Iran’s expanding influence.