Israel on Sunday struck multiple targets in Yemen, including sites in the capital Sanaa and the port city of Hodeidah, in retaliation for the first-ever cluster missile launched by the Houthi regime toward Israel two days earlier. The operation was dubbed “Neve Tzedek” – “Oasis of Justice.”
According to the IDF, the strikes hit a military compound housing Yemen’s presidential palace, the Asar and Hizaz power plants, and a fuel storage facility — all of which, Israel said, were being exploited for terrorist purposes. “The use of these plants constitutes further proof of how the Houthi regime uses civilian infrastructure for military purposes,” the IDF stated.
Israel is striking targets in Yemen pic.twitter.com/fMX3rgFHqo
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) August 24, 2025
A new escalation: Cluster munitions
On Friday evening, just after Shabbat began, the Houthis launched a surface-to-surface missile carrying a cluster warhead — the first time such a weapon has been fired at Israel. The missile’s payload contained 22 armed bomblets, designed to scatter and detonate upon impact.
Though Israeli air defenses tracked the launch, interception failed. Initial assessments suggested the missile fragmented mid-air, which complicated interception. One fragment landed in a backyard; there were no injuries.
An IDF spokesman stressed Sunday that the system is capable of countering such weapons: “The missed interception last Friday is being investigated and is not related to the type of missile. The air defense systems — particularly the upper layer — are designed to intercept missiles of this type, as they have in the past.”
The missile, Israeli media reported, was identical to one fired by Iran against Israel in June.
Israel’s response expands
Sunday’s strikes followed a string of Israeli operations against the Iranian-backed group. Last week, the IDF confirmed hitting a power station near Sanaa, reportedly with Israeli naval forces — marking the second time the Navy has been used in strikes against Houthi assets. In June, Israeli missile boats targeted terror infrastructure at Hodeidah’s port.
Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed a relentless campaign: “The Houthis will pay with interest for every attempt to fire at Israel. We are imposing an air and sea blockade on them that hurts them greatly. This is just the beginning. What follows will be powerful and painful. Whoever raises a hand against Israel, their hand will be cut off.”
Iran’s hand and regional threats
The IDF reiterated that the Houthis are funded and directed by Iran, operating as part of Tehran’s regional strategy to threaten Israel and disrupt global shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea.
Since the Hamas-led massacre of October 7, 2023, the Houthis have joined Iran’s so-called “axis of resistance,” launching dozens of missile and drone attacks on Israel. On May 4, a Houthi missile struck near Ben-Gurion International Airport, highlighting the growing reach of the group’s arsenal.
Israel’s military leadership has framed the current strikes as both retaliation and deterrence, signaling that further escalation from Yemen will be met with overwhelming force.
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