Israel

Israeli Airstrikes Hit Yemen

DEC 19 2024·Updated DEC 20 2024

Story

Above: Israeli defense members remove debris after a missile fired by the Houthis hit a school in Ramat Gan, east of Tel Aviv, Israel on Dec.19, 2024. Image credit: Mostafa Alkharouf/Contributor/Anadolu via Getty Images

The Facts

Israeli warplanes conducted airstrikes Thursday on multiple targets in Yemen's Sanaa and Hodeidah, killing at least nine people, according to Houthi-backed media outlets.
Reuters
Al Jazeera
According to Israel, the operation, involving 14 fighter jets, struck military targets in two waves, first hitting coastal areas at 3:15 am (local time) and then power stations in Sanaa at 4:30 am.
Timesofisrael
Strikes also reportedly damaged power plants, cutting off electricity to thousands of families. The Houthis' al-Masirah channel reported that seven people died at the port of Salif and two at the Ras Isa oil facility.
France 24
Reuters
The strikes occurred shortly after Israel intercepted a Houthi missile targeting central Israel, with debris damaging a school building in Ramat Efal near Tel Aviv. On Thursday, the Houthis claimed to have targeted "sensitive military targets" in Israel.
Guardian
The New York Times
The Houthis have reportedly launched over 200 missiles and 170 drones at Israel in the past year and targeted approximately 100 merchant vessels in the Red Sea since last October.
Timesofisrael
The Israeli attacks followed a US strike on Monday on an alleged Houthi command and control facility, which the US claimed was being used to attack "US Navy warships in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden."
The New Arab
Reuters

Sources Split

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The Spin

Pro-Israel narrative

It's essential to target military infrastructure used by the Houthis for terrorist activities and weapons smuggling to degrade their fighting capabilities and protect Israeli citizens and international shipping from ongoing threats.

CNN

Pro-Palestine narrative

The Israeli attacks targeted civilian infrastructure, including ports and power stations, demonstrating Western hypocrisy. The Houthi operations are legitimate responses to support Palestinians and stop genocide in Gaza.

Al Jazeera