The IDF launched a series of airstrikes Sunday night on targets in Yemen controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, dubbing the air campaign Operation Black Flag.
According to the military, the strikes targeted key terror infrastructure at the Houthi-controlled ports of Hodeidah, As-Salif and Ras Isa. Additional targets included the Ras Khatib power station and the Galaxy Leader, a ship hijacked by the Houthis in the Red Sea in 2023 and reportedly repurposed for terror activity.
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IDF issues urgent evacuation warning for three ports in Yemen controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels
Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a statement, declaring, “The same fate awaits Yemen as Tehran. Under Operation Black Flag, the IDF has powerfully struck Houthi terror targets. As I have warned, anyone who tries to harm Israel will be struck, and any hand raised against Israel will be cut off. The Houthis will continue to pay a heavy price for their actions.”
The IDF had earlier issued an urgent evacuation warning in Arabic, calling on anyone present at the targeted ports to leave the area due to impending strikes.
“The Houthi chief of staff came to chew qat, and we hit him there. That’s not a joke,” a senior Israeli official told Ynet.
A Yemeni security source added that al-Ghamari, who also led the Houthi missile program and trained in Iran, was considered among the group’s most dangerous operatives. If eliminated, it would represent a significant blow to both the Houthis and Tehran.
Footage from the time showed Houthi forces setting up checkpoints and ambulances rushing to the scene following the strike. The attack reportedly targeted al-Ghamari’s meeting headquarters.
However, Houthi missile fire resumed after the ceasefire. The most recent launch came Saturday night, triggering alarms in the Dead Sea and Judean Desert regions. The IDF later confirmed that the missile, launched from Yemen, had been intercepted. Israel’s national emergency service said no casualties or damage were reported.
