Evacuation of Yemen's airport urged by Israel due to ongoing conflict with Houthis
Taking a Swipe: Israel's Persistent Strikes on the Houthi Group
Retired Major General Dana Pittard discusses the Israeli military's unyielding attacks against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Let's dive into the nitty-gritty!
After an unusual social media alert Tuesday from the Israeli Defense Force (IDF), everyone around Yemen's Sana'a International Airport was advised to hightail it outta there, pronto! IDF Col. Avichay Adraee's stern warning came accompanied by a map marked with a blood-red circle around the airport. The IDF didn't confirm a potential strike at the Houthi-controlled airport, but it did follow up on yesterday's strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in retaliation for the group's previous attacks, one of which targeted Tel Aviv's main airport.
The Houthis upped their game by launching a missile towards Israel's Ben-Gurion Airport earlier this month, following Israel's intensified military operations in the Gaza Strip. In response, Israel hit the Houthi-controlled port of Al-Hudaydah, one of Yemen's main lifelines for food imports, accounting for 80% of the nation's food supplies.
Tensions between Israel and the Houthis escalated further with the latter's vow to impose a comprehensive aerial blockade on Israel. Unfortunately, the U.S. and Israel have reportedly been implicated in a joint strike that killed four people and injured 39, according to Houthi authorities. The U.S. has since denied involvement. However, the U.S. has been stepping up its aerial and naval assaults on Houthi targets, targeting approximately 800 Houthi targets since Operation Rough Rider was initiated in mid-March.
It's important to note that Israel's ongoing military activity in Yemen has a significant impact on the country's struggling food supply chain. As the strikes in Hodeidah Port continue, food shortages could become more widespread, worsening the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
Israel may even consider extending its operations to Iranian targets, claiming that the missiles employed by the Houthis originate from Iran. Such an expansion could lead to further escalations in the region and potentially impact Iran's support for the Houthis. Despite a temporary ceasefire deal between the U.S. and the Houthis, Israel has pledged to remain steadfast in its campaign against the Iranian-backed group.
Stay tuned for updates on this ever-changing situation!
Caitlin McFall is a fearless Reporter for our website Digital, covering the pulse of worldwide politics and news like a hawk.
In the context of ongoing conflicts in Yemen and the Middle East, the world news has been disrupted by war-and-conflicts, particularly involving Israel and the Houthis. The politics surrounding these events include Israel's assertions that the missiles used by the Houthis originated from Iran. The health of the Yemeni population is at risk due to the disruptions of the food supply chain caused by the strikes on the Hodeidah Port, which accounts for 80% of the nation's food supplies. General-news outlets, including this one, continue to report on these developments as the situation persists.
