ISRAELI fighter jets targeted the Houthi-controlled ports of Ras Isa and Hodeidah on Friday amid ongoing hostilities between the Yemeni faction and Israel.

The Israel Defense Forces said it struck the ports, which house “Houthi military infrastructure”, and the Hizaz power station, “a central source of energy for the Houthi terrorist regime in its military activities”, according to a statement posted on social media platform X.

Local media outlet Al Masirah reported that one person was killed in the attacks and nine were wounded, citing a preliminary toll from Houthi officials. Maritime security firm Ambrey said the attacks were assessed to have targeted the oil storage tanks in Ras Isa, which is the Houthis’ primary import hub for bulk liquid energy commodities.

The Israeli attack followed “repeated unmanned aerial vehicles and surface-to-surface missile attacks against Israel”, the IDF said.

The strikes were reportedly conducted separately but concurrently and in coordination with US and UK air strikes.

The Houthis have launched 320 UAVs and 40 surface-to-surface missiles at Israel since they joined the war started by Hamas on October 7, 2023, according to IDF figures cited by Israel outlet ynet.

Three UAVs were intercepted by Israel on Thursday evening, which the Houthis later claimed responsibility for launching. They also claimed to have struck a US aircraft carrier and other naval assets in the Red Sea.

Sabrina Singh, deputy press secretary of the US Pentagon, said in a press briefing Friday that she was “really shocked” by the Houthis’ disinformation and that no US ships were hit.

Singh said the most recent strikes conducted by US Central Command were on January 8 but that there were also “dynamic strikes” carried out as recently as Thursday to pre-empt Houthi attacks.