Daijiworld Media Network - Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Jul 7: Israel on Monday announced that it had launched a series of airstrikes targeting the Yemeni port city of Hodeida and surrounding areas controlled by Huthi rebels.
According to an official Israeli statement, fighter jets struck “terror infrastructure belonging to the Huthi terrorist regime,” with key targets including the ports of Hodeida, Ras Isa, and Salif. The strikes followed evacuation warnings issued earlier to civilians at the three ports, urging them to leave immediately due to “ongoing military activities.”
Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee, speaking in Arabic, had earlier identified the Hodeida power station and the strategic ports as potential targets in what appears to be an intensifying regional conflict.
The warning and subsequent attacks come amid increased Huthi aggression in the Red Sea, which has already impacted global shipping routes following Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Shortly after the evacuation notice, a ship was attacked by multiple small vessels near Yemen’s Al Hudaydah port, reportedly by gunfire and self-propelled grenades. The incident caused a fire onboard, forcing the crew to abandon the ship, UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed. The identity of the targeted vessel has not yet been revealed.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza are still underway. A new proposal includes a 60-day ceasefire during which Hamas would release 10 living and 18 dead hostages, and Israeli forces would withdraw to a buffer zone along Gaza's borders. Humanitarian aid would be distributed by the United Nations and the Palestinian Red Crescent.
However, Israel reportedly wants the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.-based group operating since May, to replace the current UN-led aid distribution mechanism.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is set to meet US officials in Washington, reiterated his stance: “There are 20 hostages that are alive, 30 dead. We are determined to bring them all back and to ensure that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel.”
Inside Gaza, hospital sources reported that at least 38 Palestinians were killed in recent Israeli airstrikes, underscoring the human cost of the continuing conflict even as ceasefire discussions gain momentum.