Following IDF strikes at two Houthi-controlled ports on Friday, Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened to assassinate Houthi leaders in a statement.
“As we said: If the Houthis continue to fire missiles toward the State of Israel, they will suffer painful blows — and we will also target terror leaders as we have done with Deif and the Sinwars in Gaza, Nasrallah in Beirut, and Haniyeh in Tehran. We will hunt down and eliminate Abd al-Malik al-Houthi in Yemen as well,” he said.
In this statement, he referenced the two Sinwars, the previous Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar, who was confirmed killed in mid-October, and his successor, Mohammed Sinwar, whose death has not yet been confirmed. The IDF attempted to assassinate him on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that these strikes are just the beginning. “There will be more to come. We are not willing to sit idly by and allow the Houthis to harm us. We will strike them much harder, including their leadership and all the infrastructure that enables them to harm us.”
He then noted Iran, which, he said, “provides them support, guidance, and approval.”
“The Houthis will pay a very heavy price, and we will defend ourselves by all means necessary to ensure the security of the State of Israel,” the prime minister concluded.
IDF issued warnings prior to the strikes
The IDF’s Arabic spokesperson, Col. Avichay Adraee, issued a short statement on X / Twitter following the attack, saying, “He who warns is excused.”
لقد أعذر من أنذر #الحوثي_الإرهابي
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) May 16, 2025
In an official statement, the IDF said that it is “determined to continue operating and striking forcefully against anyone who poses a threat to the residents of the State of Israel, at any distance necessary.”
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