B2 bombers next? Israel launches airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, three major ports, power station, Iran linked weapon sites hit

Israel carried out massive airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen including the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Isa and Salif, and the Ras Khatib power station, overnight between Sunday and Monday. Hours before the strike, Israel issued an evacuation warning to civilians at three key Yemeni ports. The evacuation notice urged residents and workers to leave these strategic locations immediately. The strike comes a week after Israel intercepted a missile launched by the Houthis which set off sirens in Jerusalem, Ben Gurion Airport, Modiin, Rishon Lezion and some West Bank settlements. The missile was intercepted and no injuries were reported.

In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that all the targets hit in the overnight strikes were used by the Iran-backed Houthi regime to transfer weapons and conduct terror activity against Israel and global shipping. It also said that the airstrikes hit the “Galaxy Leader” vessel, which was hijacked by the Houthis in November 2023 and used for maritime surveillance and operational planning. The IDF said that the Houthis “installed a radar system on the ship, and are using it to track vessels in international maritime space, in order to promote the Houthi terrorist regime’s activities.”

‘Same fate as Iran’

Last week, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a threat, saying that the Houthis would face the same fate as Iran if they continued to target Israel. Referring to last month's 12-day conflict during which Israel targeted Iran's nuclear and missile programmes, Katz said in a statement “The fate of Yemen is the same as that of Tehran…After striking the head of the snake in Tehran, we will also strike the Houthis in Yemen. Whoever raises a hand against Israel — that hand will be cut off."

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said that B2 bombers need to be used against Yemen too, referring to the use of the stealth bombs used by US against Iranian nuclear sites. Moreover, US lawmakers proposed that US President Donald Trump be authorised to transfer B-2 stealth bombers and 30,000-pound "bunker buster" bombs to Israel if Iran is found to still be developing a nuclear weapons.

Houthis targets Israel

The Yemeni group targeted central Israel’s Jaffa with several ballistic missiles in the last 24 hours, military spokesperson Yehya Sarea said in a televised address. “Triumphing for the oppressed Palestinian and Iranian peoples...This operation was coordinated with the operations carried out by the Iranian army against the criminal Israeli enemy,” he added. Houthi rebels have launched repeated missile and drone attacks against Israel since their Palestinian ally Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel sparked the Gaza war. The Houthis, who say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians, paused their attacks during a two-month ceasefire in Gaza that ended in March, but renewed them after Israel broke the truce. Israel has carried out several retaliatory strikes in Yemen, targeting Houthi-held ports and the airport in the rebel-held capital Sanaa.