2024 Israeli strikes on Yemen

On 20 July 2024, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched airstrikes targeting military sites of the Iranian-backed Houthi militant group near the Hudaydah Port in Al Hudaydah, Yemen. The airstrikes hit weapons storage facilities and oil depots at the Hudaydah Port used for arms transfers from Iran to Yemen, as well as a power plant. The attack was codenamed by the IDF as Operation Outstretched Arm (מבצע יד ארוכה).

This operation followed a Houthi unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attack the previous day, which crashed into an apartment building in Tel Aviv, Israel, killing one civilian. The IDF stated that the operation was carried out in response to Houthi attacks on Israel since the Houthi movement aligned with Hamas after the October 7 attacks.

The operation marks the first time Israel directly attacked Yemen. It used F-15 and F-35I jet fighters, along with Boeing 707 jets for aerial refueling. Commentators have noted the significance of the operation, emphasizing that it involved targets 1,700 kilometers from Israel, approximately 200 kilometers farther than Tehran, showcasing the extended reach of Israeli military operations.

Background
The Houthi movement, officially "Ansar Allah", is an Iranian-backed Islamist militant group in Yemen. The group is designated a terrorist organization by the United States, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, and Australia. The group has called for the destruction of Israel. The movement, whose militants oppose Yemen's internationally recognized government, has controlled a considerable swath of the country's territory along the Red Sea since 2014.

Since the onset of the Israel–Hamas war, which began with Hamas' October 7 attacks on Israel, the Hamas-allied group began to launch missiles and drones at Israel. They have attacked international shipping vessels in the Red Sea in acts deemed international piracy. The Houthis' Red Sea attacks have drawn a military response from a number of countries. In January 2024, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2722, condemning the Houthi attacks and affirming freedom of navigation. The United States-led Operation Prosperity Guardian was launched to protect Red Sea shipping. Since 12 January, the US and UK have led coalition air and missile strikes against the Houthis, while other countries are independently patrolling the waters near Yemen, attacking Houthi vessels in the Red Sea.

19 July drone attack on Tel Aviv
On 19 July, a drone launched by Houthi militants from Yemen hit an apartment building near the US Embassy branch office in Tel Aviv, Israel's economic center. The drone strike killed one person in his apartment building, and injured 10 others. The drone is suspected by the IDF to have been an Iranian-made Samad-3 modified by the Houthis to carry more fuel (for a longer range) in exchange for a smaller warhead. The drone was spotted but not intercepted. Israel claimed this was due to human error, while Ansar Allah claimed they had made a drone capable of bypassing the Iron Dome. Likewise, no air raid siren was sounded.

Airstrikes
According to Israel's Defense Ministry, the operational plans for striking Yemen were reviewed and approved on 20 July morning, with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, and other top defense officials overseeing the discussions. The Israeli cabinet convened for a special emergency meeting, with ministers summoned on short notice, to approve the operation. The cabinet meeting, chaired by Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Chief of Staff Herzl Halevi, was conducted under strict censorship.

According to Houthi officials, the strikes hit oil facilities, a power station, and an electricity company in the Hudaydah Port, Yemen's principal harbor on the Red Sea, causing a fire and widespread power outages. Images and videos posted on social media have shown flames and smoke rising in the city. Saudi news outlet AlHadath reported that three people were killed and 15 others were injured. Houthi-run news network Al-Masirah said that at least 80 people were injured, the majority of them with severe burns. The IDF said that it targeted Houthi military sites in the area of the port, used for weapon storage. A senior US official reported that Israel was responsible for the operation, which was carried out unilaterally. He also indicated that the strike targeted a military facility used by the Houthis for acquiring and storing weapons.

According to Israeli news outlet Ynet, the airstrikes targeted oil depots and storage facilities hidden by the Houthis at the Hudaydah Port used for transfers of weapons from Iran. The Hodeidah port is critically significant because it represents the primary lifeline for the Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen, facilitating their major means of importing and exporting goods.

The airstrike involved complex logistical and tactical measures due to the significant distance of 1,700 kilometers from Israel. The operation used aerial refueling with Boeing 707 "Re'em" aircraft, low-altitude flights to evade enemy radar, and possibly coordination with Saudi Arabia. The airstrikes mark the first time Israel has attacked Yemen. The IDF's task force included aerial intelligence and surveillance by the "Nachshon" squadron, naval support from warships and possibly a submarine in the Red Sea, and the use of "stand-off" munitions from a range of 100 kilometers. The primary strike force comprised F-35I "Adir" and F-15 fighters.

Hezbollah-linked TV channel Al Mayadeen reported that power outages have affected several areas in Hudaydah due to the strikes.

The Israeli government awaited the return of the aircraft before confirming responsibility for the operation.

Analysis
According to an analysis by Ynet, the operation was meant as a deterrent to the pro-Iranian government in Sanaa and as a signal to the US-UK coalition that the IDF will no longer rely solely on allied air defense.

According to The Washington Post, analysts from Yemen determined that the operation would likely not deter the Houthis, but would instead enable them to mobilize Yemenis to fight against a perceived foreign threat, consolidating their local support.

The Jerusalem Post observed that the operation bore similarities to the 1985 Operation Wooden Leg, where the Israeli Air Force targeted PLO sites in Tunisia, 2,200 kilometers from Israel. It emphasized the role of the F-35s in the 2024 operation, noting their stealth capabilities were crucial for striking the Houthis, who already used anti-aircraft missile systems to shoot down American UAVs. The Post described the operation as "an important milestone" for the F-35s within the Israeli Air Force, marking eight years since their initial deployment in Israel.

Reactions

 * 🇮🇱 Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the strikes targeted the port because it was used for the military purposes and that they displayed that "there is no place that the long arm of the state of Israel will not reach." Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari claimed responsibility for the attacks on behalf of the Israeli Defense Forces, stating that Israeli fighter jets struck Houthi military targets "in response to the hundreds of attacks against the State of Israel in recent months" to "send a message". Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that the strikes served as a warning to Iran and dealt a "severe blow to Iran's terrorist branch in Yemen". Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated, "the blood of Israeli citizens has a price," and emphasized that any attack on Israelis will be met with a response "identical" to those in Lebanon and Gaza. Gallant added, "The fire that is currently burning in Hodeidah is seen across the Middle East and the significance is clear." He further noted, "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."
 * 🇮🇷 Iran: The country condemned the attack, a foreign ministry spokesperson warned about a possibility for a wider regional conflict and calls Israeli allies responsible for the attack.
 * Houthis: Houthi spokesperson Nasruddin Amer referred to the attacks as "a brutal Israeli aggression" specifically meant to cause suffering to the Yemeni population and force the Houthis to stop support for Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war. He stated that the attacks would only increase the Yemeni population's resolve in supporting Gaza and their willingness to face hardship for their sake. Chief Houthi negotiator reiterated this sentiment in a public statement. Houthi policymaker Mohammed al-Bukhaiti stated that the airstrike would only increase Yemeni military operations conducted against Israel until the war ended, stating that they would "meet escalation with escalation", he also stated that "the Zionist entity will pay the price for targeting civilian facilities, and we will meet escalation with escalation".
 * Hamas: The group condemned the attack. A member of the political bureau, Izzat al-Rishq, stated that "the occupation state will undoubtedly be burned by the fire ignited in Hudaydah today, and the mounting Zionist crimes will change the entire equation".
 * Hezbollah: The group called the operation a "foolish step" and said that it sparked a new and dangerous phase of confrontation across the Middle East.
 * 🇰🇼 Kuwait: The foreign ministry condemned the attack, stating that Israel:s actions contribute to the "undermining of international efforts aimed at ending the cycle of violence" in the region.
 * 🇴🇲 Oman: The foreign ministry condemned the attack, stating that the attack "represents a new escalation of tension in the region that would further complicate the regional situation and hinder efforts to calm the situation".
 * 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia: Defense ministry spokesperson Turki Al-Maliki said that Saudi Arabia was not involved in the attack, adding that Saudi Arabia will not allow its airspace to be infiltrated by any party.
 * 🇺🇳 United Nations: Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed deep concern over Israel's attack on Yemen.
 * 🇺🇸 United States: A spokesperson for the US National Security Council stated that the US had not coordinated with Israel on the airstrikes, adding that the country fully recognizes Israel's right to self-defense.
 * 🇾🇪 Yemen: The internationally recognized government condemned the Israeli attack but also cautioned the Houthis against dragging the people of Yemen "into absurd battles in the interests of the Iranian regime," and warned Iran and Israel not to turn the country into "an arena for their absurd wars and their subversive projects in the region."

Aftermath
On the morning of 21 July, the IDF intercepted a missile fired from Yemen. Rocket and missile sirens sounded in Eilat, however the IDF stated that the city was not targeted and denied reports of an explosion. The Houthis stated that they had targeted Eilat with several missiles.