Israel strikes the Yemeni port of Hodeida as Houthi rebels activate air defenses

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ADEN, Yemen (AP) — Israel on Tuesday launched airstrikes on the Yemeni city of Hodeida as Iranian-backed Houthi rebels activated air defenses.

The Israeli military said in an update that it struck “military infrastructure” used by the Houthis at Hodeida port.

“The Hudaydah Port is used by the Houthi terrorist regime for the transfer of weapons supplied by the Iranian regime, in order to execute attacks against the State of Israel and its allies,” the statement read.

“Our air defenses are currently confronting the Israeli aircrafts that are launching an aggression against our country,” Houthi spokesperson Yayha Saree posted on X.

Saree said in a statement that the Houthi air defenses “caused great confusion” for Israeli aircraft and forced some combat formations to leave Yemeni airspace before carrying out the attacks, thwarting Israel’s incursion deep into Yemen.

The latest strikes came as hundreds attended funeral services for 31 Yemeni journalists who were reported killed in Israeli airstrikes last week that targeted Houthis in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa.

The strikes last Wednesday followed a drone launched by the Houthis that breached Israel’s multilayered air defenses and slammed into a southern Israeli airport, blowing out glass windows and injuring one person.

In Yemen, dozens were reported killed, including the journalists, in the strikes that hit Sanaa, including residential areas, a military headquarters and a fuel station, according to the health ministry in the rebel-held northern part of the country.

The National Museum of Yemen in Sanaa was also damaged, according to the rebels’ culture ministry, with footage from the site showings damage to the building’s façade. A government facility in the city of Hazm, the capital of northern Jawf province, was also hit.

The Israeli army said last week that it struck sites used by the Houthis to gather intelligence and attack Israel, a fuel storage facility, and a “public relations department responsible for distributing propaganda messages in the media.”

Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV broadcast the funerals Tuesday, showing dozens inside a mosque and the caskets being carried ahead of the burial. An honor guard stood beside the coffins.

The turnout was lower than expected for such a a “huge loss,” according to Khaled Rageh and Ahmed Malhy, who attended the funerals, likely because heavy morning rain kept some away. The two men spoke to The Associated Press by phone.

Israel has previously launched waves of airstrikes in response to the Houthis’ firing missiles and drones at Israel. The Houthis say they are attacking in solidarity with Palestinians amid the war in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis have also targeted ships in the Red Sea for over 22 months.

The Committee to Protect Journalists told The Associated Press on Monday that the organization is still actively looking into the reported deaths of Yemeni journalists but was having difficulties in verifying facts on the ground in rebel-held Sanaa.

“The information environment is highly restricted — Houthi authorities have imposed strict censorship, including a ban on sharing photos or videos related to the airstrikes,” the CPJ said.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch in a Monday post said Israeli airstrikes in Sanaa also hit a media center housing the headquarters of two newspapers, describing it as another example of the dangers facing journalists in Yemen.

“The recent Israeli forces’ attack further highlights the threats journalists are facing in Yemen, not just by domestic authorities but also by external warring parties,” said HRW.

Mohammed al-Basha, a Yemen analyst, said on X that the strikes hit as staffers at the “September 26” newspaper gathered to prepare the paper’s next edition.

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Khaled reported from Cairo.