A huge column of fire erupting following reported strikes in the Yemeni rebel-held port city of Hodeida, July 20, 2024. /CFP
Israel's military confirmed on Saturday that it had bombed Houthi-affiliated sites in Yemen's Hodeidah, following a deadly drone attack on Tel Aviv claimed by the Houthis.
The Israeli strike targeted oil storage and electric facilities in the Red Sea port city, resulting in multiple casualties. The Israeli military said in a statement that its fighter jets targeted "military targets" in response to "the hundreds of attacks carried out against the State of Israel in recent months."
Earlier in the day, Israel announced that its fighter jets had hit and destroyed Houthi targets in the port city of Hodeidah. Residents reported seeing large columns of black smoke and fire from the area, with fire trucks and ambulances rushing to the scene. While local health authorities have yet to release the exact number of casualties, the Ministry of Health in Sanaa reported that nearly 80 people were wounded in the air strikes, most suffering from severe burns.
Houthi top negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam said that the strikes would not deter the group from targeting Israeli cities and ships.
"The Israeli enemy launched a brutal aggression on Hodeidah, targeting the power station, port and fuel stores, all of which are civilian targets," said Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea in a televised statement.
"We will not hesitate to hit vital targets in Israel," he added, emphasizing that Tel Aviv will not remain a safe area.
The Houthis have been targeting Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November 2023, in what they describe as acts of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. These attacks have forced many shipping companies to reroute their vessels around the southern tip of Africa to avoid drone and missile strikes.
Smoke rises from a building hit by an Israeli strike in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip, July 20, 2024. /CFP
Ongoing Gaza conflict
In Gaza, Israeli air strikes continued. At least 14 Palestinians were killed in northern Gaza on Saturday. Israeli jets bombed a house in the Jabalia refugee camp, resulting in the deaths of a journalist, his wife, their two children, and his mother, who had special needs.
In the Al-Saftawi neighborhood in northern Gaza, aircraft bombed a residential house, killing seven people, including women and children. The Gaza-based health authorities reported 37 Palestinians killed and 54 wounded in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 38,919 since the conflict broke out in October 2023.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated on Saturday that their operational activities continue in the enclave, focusing on precise, intelligence-based operations in Rafah and central Gaza.
In response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Jordan announced that 83 new trucks of aid crossed into the territory on Saturday. The aid, comprising food parcels, blankets, clothes, and health materials, was dispatched by the Jordanian Armed Forces and the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization, in collaboration with the World Food Program and other organizations.
Meanwhile, the U.S. criticized the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) advisory opinion declaring Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories illegal, expressing concerns it would complicate peace efforts. Delivered on Friday, the ICJ's advisory opinion called for Israel to end its occupation and dismantle settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The U.S. State Department acknowledged the illegality of Israeli settlements but also noted that the "breadth of the court's opinion" could hinder conflict resolution.
Washington emphasized the need for direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine, advocating for a two-state solution. The State Department urged all parties to refrain from using the ICJ's advisory opinion as a pretext for unilateral actions that could deepen divisions.
Syrian refugees in makeshift tents in southern Lebanon, after an Israeli air strike targeted the outskirts of Burj al-Muluk, south of the town of Marjayoun in Lebanon on July 20, 2024. /CFP
Escalating tensions in Lebanon
In Lebanon, Israeli warplanes targeted a Hezbollah ammunition warehouse in the southwest town of Adloun, injuring at least five people and causing extensive damage.
The explosion of the warehouse, which was followed by a series of secondary explosions, forced Lebanese military forces to close off the main coastal road linking Sidon and Tyre. The blast also scattered shrapnel across nearby towns, posing a significant threat to civilians.
Hezbollah, which has been engaged in periodic clashes with Israel, warned that no place in Israel "will be safe" from its missiles in the event of an outbreak of war. This warning came amid rising tensions following a barrage of rockets launched by Hezbollah towards Israel on October 8, 2023, in solidarity with Hamas. Israel retaliated with heavy artillery fire towards southeastern Lebanon.
Andrea Tenenti, spokesperson for the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL), emphasized the need for a diplomatic solution between Lebanon and Israel. He urged both sides to adhere to UN Resolution 1701, which outlines a framework for ending hostilities and progressing towards a permanent ceasefire. Tenenti stressed that a political and diplomatic solution is the only viable long-term approach to reducing tensions and achieving stability in the region.
(With input from agencies)