Israeli media reported Saturday that security agencies are on high alert fearing a possible Houthi retaliation following a joint Israeli-American-British airstrikes on targets in Yemen on Friday.
According to the Houthi group and Israeli confirmation, the strikes, which involved 25 air raids, targeted Yemen’s capital Sanaa, Amran governorate in the north, and Al Hudaydah in the west. One person was killed, nine others were injured, and residential areas were damaged during the attacks.
“The Israeli security system is in a heightened state of alert due to anticipated Houthi retaliation for the Friday strikes,” Israeli Channel 12 reported.
It added that “there are genuine fears that the Houthis may attempt to respond to the joint assault in the coming hours.”
The channel also noted that this joint operation marked “the fifth such attack” on Houthi targets since the start of the war on Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023.
On Friday, the Israeli broadcaster KAN reported that Israel, the US, and Britain carried out their first coordinated attack on Houthi targets in Yemen.
The Houthis confirmed the attacks. The Israeli army later issued a statement claiming that its air force, in coordination with intelligence and naval forces, targeted Houthi-controlled sites along Yemen’s western coast and deeper inland.
Among the targets, the statement highlighted, were infrastructure elements at the Hezyaz power station which it alleged were used to support Houthi military operations. It also claimed strikes on facilities at Ras Isa and Al Hudaydah ports.
The escalation came after the Houthis said on Monday that they had attacked the US aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman in the northern Red Sea and claimed missile and drone attacks on targets in southern and central Israel.
Houthis have launched attacks on what they say Israeli-linked commercial shipping in the Red Sea for more than a year, in solidarity with Palestinians being attacked in Gaza by Israel.
In response, the US is leading a military coalition that is bombing Houthi targets in Yemen.
Houthis have recently escalated their attacks against Israel and US targets.
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