Israel strikes Houthi targets in Yemen, killing at least four people

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. Israel said it bombed Houthi targets in Yemen on Sunday in response to missile fire over the past two days, Reuters reported.

The Israeli strikes killed at least four people and wounded 29, Reuters reported citing the Houthi-run Health Ministry. Residents said the bombing had caused power outages in most parts of the port city of Hodeidah.

Israel's military said in a statement that dozens of aircraft, including fighter jets, had attacked power plants and a sea port in Hodeidah and the port of Ras Issa.

It was the second such Israeli attack on Yemen in just over two months. In July, Israeli warplanes struck Houthi military targets near Hodeidah after a Yemeni drone hit Tel Aviv and killed one man.

"Over the past year, the Houthis have been operating under the direction and funding of Iran, and in cooperation with Iraqi militias in order to attack the State of Israel, undermine regional stability, and disrupt global freedom of navigation," Reuters quoted the Israeli military as saying.

Yemen's Houthi militants, backed by Iran, have repeatedly fired missiles and drones at Israel in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians, since the Gaza war began with a Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7.

In their latest attack, the Houthis said they had launched a ballistic missile on Saturday towards the Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, which Israel said it had intercepted. Israel intercepted another Houthi missile on Friday.

In a post on X, Mohammed Abdulsalam, a spokesperson for the Houthis, said Sunday's Israeli strikes would not cause the group to "abandon Gaza and Lebanon". Iran condemned the Israeli strikes, saying they had targeted civilian infrastructure.