Saree confirms special operation; 11 strikes targeted 'Israel'
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Yemen launched a coordinated missile and drone attack after intercepting Israeli airstrikes, signaling a sharp escalation in regional confrontation.
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Brigadier General Yahya Saree, spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, speaks at a rally against the US and "Israel" in Sanaa, Yemen, on April 18, 2025. (AP)
Brigadier General Yahya Saree, spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, announced on Monday that Yemeni air defenses successfully intercepted and repelled an Israeli aerial assault targeting several areas across Yemen.
At least 20 Israeli airstrikes struck the city of Hodeidah in Yemen early Monday, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported, while Yemeni air defenses managed to repel a significant portion of the assault. The attacks targeted key locations including the ports of Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Issa, as well as the Ras Qatif power station. Israeli media confirmed that these infrastructures had been hit by Israeli occupation forces on three previous occasions.
The attack was thwarted using domestically developed surface-to-air missile systems, as per Saree.
He confirmed that Israeli warplanes were forced to retreat from Yemeni airspace without executing any airstrikes, marking what Yemen described as a defensive success against foreign aggression.
According to Saree, both the interception and subsequent retaliatory operation came in response to the ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza and in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
High-precision strikes target Israeli military and infrastructure sites
Yemen launched a coordinated missile and drone strike on several Israeli targets. The operation involved 11 ballistic missiles and drones, which the military described as high-precision and successful.
Saree stated that a Palestine-2 hypersonic missile targeted Lod/Ben Gurion Airport in the occupied Yafa region, while additional hypersonic missiles struck Asdod Port and the power station in occupied Askalan.
He added that eight drones were deployed to strike Umm al-Rashrash Port (Eilat). According to Saree, all missiles and drones achieved their objective successfully, with Israeli interception systems failing to neutralize any of the incoming strikes.
Yemen warns of prolonged confrontation if attacks continue
The spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces emphasized that the people, guided by faith, remain steadfast in the face of aggression and will not yield. They warned that any further attacks on Yemen would be met with expanded retaliatory measures, reaffirming the country’s readiness for a “sustained and ongoing confrontation.”
“This aggression will only strengthen our determination and increase operations in support of Palestine,” the statement read.
He reiterated their full readiness to repel the enemy attacks, defend national airspace, and enforce the naval blockade imposed on the Israeli occupation in solidarity with the people of Gaza.
Ongoing support for Gaza and commitment to Resistance
Saree described the operation as part of a broader moral and religious obligation to support the Palestinian cause, affirming that their actions will continue until the Israeli aggression on Gaza ends and the blockade is lifted.
“With God’s help, we will continue to fulfill our religious, moral, and humanitarian duty to support the oppressed Palestinian people in Gaza, the land of pride and resistance,” he concluded.
The announcement marks another escalation in regional tensions, as Yemen intensifies its direct military engagement in support of Gaza amid the Israeli occupation’s ongoing war on the besieged territory.
Read more: Mass rallies in Yemen in support of Palestine continue undeterred
