Israel launches retaliatory strikes in Yemen after Tel Aviv drone attack

Israel has launched retaliatory airstrikes against the Houthi group in Yemen, killing a number of people, ITV News' Aisha Zahid reports

Israel has launched retaliatory airstrikes against the Houthi group in Yemen, hitting the Red Sea port of Hodeidah and killing a number of people.

Israeli officials say it was in response to a Houthi drone attack in Tel Aviv on Friday which killed an Israeli citizen and injured others.

Israel's defence minister Yoav Gallant said “the blood of Israeli citizens has a price".

He added: “The first time that they harmed an Israeli citizen, we struck them. And we will do this in any place where it may be required.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "The port we attacked is not an innocent port.

"It was used for military purposes, it was used as an entry point for deadly weapons supplied to the Houthis by Iran."

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said the strike was a "response to the hundreds of attacks carried out against the state of Israel" since the start of the war in Gaza.

Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reported airstrikes targeting oil facilities in the western port of Hodeidah, adding that there had been deaths and injuries.

Israeli airstrikes hit a site in Hodeidah, Yemen, on Saturday. Credit: AP

Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam said: “A brutal Israeli aggression against Yemen by targeting civilian facilities, oil tanks, and the power station in Hodeidah aims to increase the suffering of the people of Yemen.”

Since the start of Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza, the Houthi group in Yemen have regularly targeted the country with drones and missiles, most of which have been intercepted by Israel’s defences.

They have also regularly attacked commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

Both the UK and the US have responded to the attacks on shipping by carrying out strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. However, this is the first time Israel has struck Yemen.

An Israeli official said Israel had previously let the US and UK take the lead on responding to Houthi attacks, but decided to respond itself this time because of the death of the Israeli citizen in Tel Aviv.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know