Yemen's Houthis to 'pay heavy price' for attacking Israel, warns Netanyahu

Jerusalem, Jan 11 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that "Yemen's Houthis are paying and will continue to pay a heavy price for their aggression (on Israel)," describing them as a proxy of Iran and "a threat to Israel and the entire region."

Netanyahu's remarks came after Israel's military announced that its warplanes targeted the Hezyaz power station in Yemen's capital Sanaa, as well as the Yemeni ports of Hodeidah and Ras Issa. The military claimed it targeted infrastructures used by Houthi forces for military operations.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, who observed the airstrikes from the Air Force command centre in Tel Aviv, said, "The port of Hodeidah is paralysed, and the Ras Issa port is ablaze," adding the strikes sent a message to the Houthi group that "no one will be immune."

Katz vowed to "hunt down" Houthi leaders, saying, "Israel's long arm reaches and will continue to reach anywhere that threatens us -- even in Yemen."

This marks the fifth massive attack on Yemen by Israeli forces, according to Israel's Army Radio.

Figures released by the military on Thursday indicated that Houthi forces have launched about 40 surface-to-surface missiles and 320 drones toward Israel since October 2023. Most of them were intercepted, the figures showed.

The Houthis began sporadic attacks on Israel following the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, citing solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza, Xinhua news agency reported.

In response, Israel had also launched rounds of airstrikes on Houthi targets. In addition, the US-led naval coalition stationed in the area has been conducting regular air raids and strikes on Houthi sites since January 2024 in a joint bid to deter the armed group, prompting the Houthis to expand attacks to include US warships.

Source: IANS