Israel strikes Houthi targets in Yemen as residents ordered to evacuate
6 July 2025, 23:49 | Updated: 7 July 2025, 06:48
Residents have reported hearing explosions in Yemen after the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for people at three ports in the country.
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People at Hodeidah, Ras Issa, and Salif were issued warnings by Israel.
The Ras al Khatib power station, which it said is controlled by Houthi rebels, also received the alert.
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz confirmed that strikes were carried out on the power station and a ship he said was hijacked by Houthi rebels two years ago.
Katz said the attacks were part of "Operation Black Flag", warning that the Houthis "will continue to pay a heavy price for their actions".
"The fate of Yemen is the same as the fate of Tehran. Anyone who tries to harm Israel will be harmed, and anyone who raises a hand against Israel will have their hand cut off," he wrote on X.
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The IDF said earlier it would carry out airstrikes on those areas due to "military activities being carried out there".
Houthi-run media in Yemen said port of Hodeidah was hit, but provided no further details about damage caused or casualties.
A ship was reportedly set on fire following an attack in the Red Sea earlier on Sunday.
Earlier this year, British forces launched a series of airstrikes on a Houthi military target in Yemen.
The MoD said the action was part of a joint operation alongside US forces targeting the Houthis, following the group's campaign of attacks on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The strikes were conducted by Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s, which used Paveway IV precision guided bombs on a cluster of buildings used by the Houthis to manufacture drones of the type used in attacks on ships.
The MoD said "very careful planning had been completed to allow the targets to be prosecuted with minimal risk to civilians or non-military infrastructure".
Defence Secretary John Healey said the Houthis' activities in the Red Sea were a "persistent threat" to "freedom of navigation".
"A 55% drop in shipping through the Red Sea has already cost billions, fuelling regional instability and risking economic security for families in the UK," he said.
"The Government is steadfast in our commitment to reinforcing global stability and protecting British working people. I am proud of the dedication and professionalism shown by the service men and women involved in this operation."
The Houthis claimed their actions were in response to Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza - an assertion dismissed by the UK and allies.
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