Israeli Attacks on Houthi Positions; Katz: A Clear Message to Abdul-Malik al-Houthi

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that following the attacks by the Israeli army on Houthi positions on Friday, January 21, Israel will continue to act decisively and powerfully against this group supported by the Islamic Republic. According to Netanyahu, the attacks targeted Houthi positions along the western coasts and deep in Yemen. The Prime Minister added that the Houthis are an 'extension' of the Iranian regime and act in service of the 'terrorist goals' of the Islamic Republic axis. Netanyahu reminded that the Houthis threaten 'Israel, the entire region, and the freedom of global navigation.' He emphasized that the Israeli government will act with determination and power against any entity that threatens Israel, wherever and whenever necessary. In this context, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that there is no immunity for the Iranian-backed Houthi leaders. Katz noted that the attacks on Friday were 'a clear message for Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the leader of the Houthi terrorist group.' The Defense Minister addressed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, saying: 'We will pursue you and destroy the terrorist infrastructure you have created.' Katz added that thousands of Houthis participating in the anti-Israel protests on Friday 'heard the sound of the Israeli Air Force's power.' The Defense Minister warned: 'The port of Hodeidah is out of operation, and the port of Ras Isa is burning. The message is clear: anyone who harms Israel will face much greater attacks.' The Israeli army announced on Friday that in response to missile and drone attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthis, it targeted the Hazezeh power plant and the ports of Hodeidah and Ras Isa. According to this statement, the Hazezeh power plant 'operated as a central energy source for the Houthi terrorist regime and its military activities.' The Israeli attacks on Friday occurred shortly after U.S.-led coalition strikes on Houthi positions in northern Yemen. Israel, as in the past, coordinated its attacks against the Houthis with the United States, but according to Israeli media reports, these attacks were not conducted jointly with the U.S. The Houthis, considered proxy militants of the Islamic Republic, have targeted dozens of commercial ships with missiles and drones since the onset of the Gaza war last October, seriously threatening global shipping. Many of the Houthis' missiles and drones have been intercepted by the U.S.-led naval coalition and have not reached their targets in the Red Sea, including Western military vessels. Israel has downed the 'missiles and drones' of the Iranian-backed Houthis. CENTCOM: Multiple precise attacks were carried out against Houthi targets. The U.S. emphasizes the need to hold the Iranian regime accountable and to stop Houthi attacks. Israel warns the Houthis: you will face the 'dark fate' of the Iranian regime's proxies. The threat posed by Iranian-backed Houthis is under review at the Security Council.