Israel Conducts Targeted Strike In Yemen Amid Rising Tensions With Iran-Backed Houthi Rebels

Tel Aviv: An Israeli strike was conducted in Yemen on Sunday, The Times of Israel reported, quoting defence sources.

The strike was reportedly a targeted assassination attempt of a Houthi leader. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) has not yet officially commented on the incident.

During Israel's strikes on Iran, Yemen's Houthi rebels sided with the latter.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels said Tehran had a "legitimate right to defend itself" following Israel's strikes, as per Al Jazeera.

The Houthis said on Telegram that they backed "Iran's full and legitimate right to ... develop its nuclear programme" and that "we strongly condemn the brutal Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran and affirm its full and legitimate right to respond by all possible means".

Earlier on June 10, Israel's military launched overnight strikes on Yemen's port city of Hodeidah, which it claims is used by Houthi rebels to transport weapons, Al Jazeera reported.

The Israeli army and Houthi-controlled media reported the strikes on Hodeidah, a key port for humanitarian aid imports, on Tuesday. An Israeli official said an "aerial and naval blockade" could follow unless Houthi rebels halt attacks on Israel.

The strike hit two piers at the port, according to the Houthi reports. Israel's military claimed responsibility shortly after, saying it used navy ships to fire missiles at seaports that the Houthis use for "military purposes", as per Al Jazeera.

Neither the Houthi nor Israeli reports mentioned any casualties.

Israel accuses the Houthis of using the port to transfer weapons as part of Iran-backed "terrorist activity" and targeted it with air strikes in May.

As per Al Jazeera, the Israeli attack occurred hours after the Houthis fired a missile towards Israel that did not reach its target.

Since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023, the Iran-aligned Houthis have fired missiles and drones at Israel in what they say are acts of solidarity with the Palestinians.

A Houthi ballistic missile hit Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport complex in May and briefly halted flights.

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