A spokesman for Yemen’s Houthi rebels, Mohammed Abdulsalam, said his country would continue to defend itself after several US attacks on facilities in the capital, Sana’a.
“The aggression of the United States of America against Yemen is a clear violation of the sovereignty of an independent state and a clear support for Israel to encourage it to continue its crimes of genocide against the people of Gaza,” Abdulsalam said on Tuesday, after the second day of US strikes.
The US military said it carried out strikes on targets in the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa and coastal towns in Yemen on Monday and Tuesday.
“On December 30 and 31, U.S. Navy ships and aircraft targeted Houthi command and control facilities and advanced conventional weapons (ACW) production and storage facilities that included missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs),” U.S. Army Central Command (CENTCOM) ) said in a post on X.
CENTCOM forces attacked multiple Houthi targets in Yemen
US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted multiple precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets in Sana’a and coastal locations inside Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen on December 30 and 31.
December 30 and 31… pic.twitter.com/XUKtsZM1U7
— US Central Command (@CENTCOM) December 31, 2024
Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reported that US warplanes launched a total of 12 airstrikes, targeting two separate districts in Sana’a.
A group allied to Iran in Yemen has been launching attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea for more than a year in an alleged attempt to enforce a naval blockade of Israel, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians who have been attacked as part of a year-long Israeli crackdown. deadly war in Gaza.
Last week, a wave of Israeli airstrikes hit Yemen’s main airportkilling at least three people. Three more people were killed in separate attacks on the country’s key port city of Hodeidah.
The attack on Sana’a airport happened just as the director-general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said he was about to board a flight there.
The Houthis vowed to respond quickly to the attack and respond to “escalation with escalation.”
The Houthis took control of the Yemeni capital Sana’a in 2014 and for years have since waged war against forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition, including the Yemeni government.
“Support to Gaza continues”
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, issued what he called a final warning to the Houthis on Monday to stop rocket attacks on Israel.
Danon also warned Tehran that Israel has the ability to attack any target in the Middle East, including Iran. He added that Israel will not tolerate attacks by Iranian proxies.
But hours later, the Israeli military announced it had intercepted a missile fired from Yemen, prompting sirens to sound across the country.
The Houthis targeted Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv and a power plant south of Jerusalem using a hypersonic ballistic missile, or Zulfiqar ballistic missile, the group’s military spokesman Yahya Saree said on Tuesday.
The Houthis will not stop attacking Israel, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of the Houthi Supreme Revolutionary Committee, said after the Israeli military announced the interception of the missiles.
“Entity banging [Israel] continues and support for Gaza continues,” he posted on X.
Danon, addressing the UN Security Council, said that Israel will not tolerate further Houthi attacks.
“To the Houthis, you may not have been paying attention to what has happened in the Middle East over the past year,” he said.
“Well, let me remind you what happened to Hamas, Hezbollah, Assad, all those who tried to destroy us. Let this be your last warning. This is not a threat. That’s a promise. You will share the same miserable fate,” said Danon.
Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Houthis that Israel was “just getting started” after attacks in Yemen, including Sana’a airport, ports on the country’s west coast and two power plants.
Israel’s ongoing assault on the besieged and bombed Gaza Strip, where famine threatens, has so far killed more than 45,000 people and has been described by leading human rights groups as genocide.
