Israel strikes Hodeidah port amid Houthi escalation

Israel carried out a series of airstrikes on Yemen's Red Sea port of Hodeidah on Tuesday, hitting docks and other infrastructure the Israeli military said were being used by Houthi rebels to transfer weapons from Iran. Houthi officials said their air defenses engaged the attacking aircraft as the strikes, which local media reported numbered 12, unfolded.

An Al Masirah television report affiliated with the Houthis said 12 strikes targeted the port. Two port workers speaking to Reuters said the raids struck three docks that had been restored after earlier Israeli attacks, and residents said the bombardment lasted about 10 minutes. The Israeli military said in a statement that it struck a "military infrastructure" site used by the Houthis and urged civilians to evacuate the area ahead of the operation, sharing maps and warnings on social media.

Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree posted on X that "our air defenses are currently confronting the Israeli aircraft" and later said the defenses had caused "great confusion" for Israeli planes and forced some to leave Yemeni airspace before completing their missions. The Israeli military provided no operational detail beyond saying it struck...