Smackdown in the Middle East: Israel's Retaliation After Yemeni Airport Attack
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Yemen airport assault leads to Israel's retaliatory actions - Yemen airport attack sparks Israeli retaliatory strikes
After a rocket hit near Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport, causing destruction, Israel's military retaliated by bombing Houthi positions in Yemen. Around 20 fighter jets demolished over 50 targets, as per Israeli military reports. A preliminary report from the Houthi-controlled health ministry claimed that two fatalities and 42 injuries were caused by an attack on a cement factory.
The Houthi militia was responsible for the rocket attack near Israel's Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday, initiating a series of threats. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed "sevenfold retaliation," while the Houthis warned they'd keep disrupting Israeli air traffic.
Israel's army targeted Houthi infrastructure that generates a considerable revenue stream for the group. The port of Hudaydah, a significant transportation hub for Iranian weapons, and a Bajil cement factory used for military infrastructure construction by the militia, were among the targeted sites. The attacks were in response to the persistent rocket and drone attacks by the Yemeni militia on Israeli territories.
Report: United States and Israel Joint Strikes
Israeli-American coordinated attacks were reported by "ynet" following the large-scale evening operation. According to Al-Masirah, the Houthi-aligned TV channel, attacks occurred on the port in Hudaydah. The cement factory located about 50 kilometers east of Hudaydah in Bajil was also attacked, as per the local health ministry. Eyewitnesses informed dpa of heavy explosions that shook Bajil, causing damage to the factory and subsequent ambulance responses.
The Houthis threatened to expand their list of targets in Israel, likening the country to a spider's web, easily dismantled.
Decade-long Yemeni Civil War
The US military has been assaulting Houthi militia targets in Yemen for months, with the goal of protecting international maritime traffic in the Red Sea. The Houthis frequently attack commercial and military ships, claiming they will cease only when the Gaza conflict ends. Israel hadn't targeted Yemeni territory for around four months before this incident.
Yemen has been locked in civil war for a decade, with the Iran-backed Houthi militia controlling large parts of the northern regions, including Sanaa and the port city of Hudaydah. The internationally recognized government governs the southern areas.
- Israel
- Yemen
- Hudaydah
- Tel Aviv
- Middle East
- Military
- Rocket Attack
- US
- Bajil
- BMG
- Sunday
- Ben Gurion Airport
Insights:
- The Israeli military's recent retaliation against the Houthi militia in Yemen comes in response to repeated missile and drone attacks on their territory.
- The United States and Israel seem to have coordinated their attacks on Yemeni targets over the past week, although the US had previously ceased its bombing campaign due to a truce with the Houthis.
- The Houthi militia controls significant areas in Yemen, including the capital Sanaa and the port city of Hudaydah, while the internationally recognized government rules the southern regions.
- The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation in the midst of the Middle East's ongoing war-and-conflicts, particularly in light of the recent retaliation by Israel's military following the rocket attack near Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport.
- Aviv, a local in Bajil, Yemen, reported hearing dozens of heavy explosions on Sunday, which he believe originated from the military strikes on the cement factory there.
- General news outlets have reported unverified claims by eyewitnesses that weapons were stored at the Bajil cement factory, raises concerns about the potential dual-use of the factory in the context of the ongoing war in Yemen.
- Politics of the Middle East have been affected by the escalating tensions between Israel and the Houthi militia in Yemen, with Israel's recent military action in Hudaydah potentially impacting regional alliances and policies.
