Headline: Death Toll Rises as Israel Carries Out Airstrikes on Yemen, Hitting Rebel Targets
Khalifa, Yemen – Tensions in the Middle East have reached a boiling point as Israel carried out a series of airstrikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Friday, killing at least three people and wounding 87 others, the group’s television channel reported. This retaliatory attack comes just 24 hours after a drone strike blamed on Israel hit a strategic intersection in Tel Aviv, killing one Israeli woman and injuring several others.
According to sources on the ground, the airstrikes, which began in the morning and continued throughout the day, targeted rebel military positions and infrastructure across Yemen’s capital city of Sana’a. The Houthi militia, also known as Ansarullah, claimed that Israeli drones were involved in the attacks, despite there being no official confirmation of the claims from the Israeli government.
"Our fighters and civilians have paid a heavy price for the aggression of the Zionist occupation," said a Houthi statement. "We will not succumb to their threats and will continue to fight against their occupation and their puppet governments in the region."
The conflict has taken a devastating toll on the residents of Yemen, where a years-long civil war has already led to what the United Nations has called a humanitarian crisis of "unprecedented magnitude". The war has also exacerbated sectarian divisions and political instability, posing a significant threat to regional stability and the broader global community.
Israel and Yemen have no official relations and no diplomatic presence in the country, which has been controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels since 2015. The exact source of the drone strike in Tel Aviv on Thursday remains unclear, although there has been no official claim of responsibility from any group.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has urged all sides involved to exercise restraint and engage in a "meaningful and direct" dialogue to resolve the crisis in Yemen. "The humanitarian consequences of this conflict are dire," Guterres said, in a statement issued by his spokesman. "Civilians have borne the brunt of the war, with millions displaced, tens of thousands killed, and many more affected by the conflict."
International concern over the escalating conflict has intensified, with the United States and regional allies such as Saudi Arabia calling on the warring parties to enter into negotiations. The European Union’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, has also expressed grave concerns over the situation, noting that the "situation on the ground is extremely dire."
The airstrike on Yemen was carried out by Israeli fighter jets and surveillance planes, according to military sources quoted in Israeli media. The bombing runs targeted several Houthi militant sites, including a facility alleged to be used for the production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
In retaliation, Houthi rebels have threatened to expand their drone attacks on Israeli military and economic targets, warning that Tel Aviv is now a legitimate target. The Iranian government has also issued a statement of support for its ally in Yemen, calling on regional nations to stand united against the threat of "Zionist terrorism".
As the situation in the region continues to deteriorate, regional observers fear that the conflict may widen to engulf other countries, including Iran itself, which has been accused of financing and arming the Houthi rebels.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/20/middleeast/yemen-israel-strikes-hodeidah-intl/index.html