Sanaa: Yemen’s Houthi group said on Monday that it had launched a barrage of missiles targeting what it described as sensitive Israeli sites in the Jaffa area and announced a complete ban on Israeli-linked maritime navigation in the Red Sea.
In a televised statement, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the group’s forces carried out a missile attack against targets in Jaffa, claiming the operation achieved its objectives, reports Xinhua news agency.
Sarea also announced a “complete ban” on Israeli maritime navigation in the Red Sea, warning that any Israeli-linked vessel operating in the waterway would be considered a legitimate military target from the time of the announcement.
He said the group would meet escalation with escalation and indicated that its military operations could intensify in coordination with allied groups.
The spokesperson added that the Houthis would continue their operations as long as what they described as aggression and blockades against Yemen and allied groups in the region persist.
The developments marked a further escalation in regional tensions. Early Monday, Israel said its air force had struck military targets in western and central Iran in response to Iranian missile attacks launched the previous day. Iran later fired additional missiles toward Israel.
The Houthis, one of Iran’s closest regional allies, have controlled Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and much of the country’s north since late 2014.
Since October 2023, the group has launched missile, drone and maritime attacks against Israel in support of Gaza and allied Iran-backed forces in the region. The Houthis also backed Iran during last year’s 12-day conflict with Israel.
In response, Israel carried out a series of strikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, killing senior leaders and damaging key infrastructure.
(IANS)
