Breaking: IDF Jets Hammer Houthis for Hannukah
The Israeli army "candlelighting" comes in response to nearly a week of ballistic missile and explosive UAV attacks on Israeli civilians, injuring dozens and hitting a school.
Friday AM update: This is, indeed, literally and figuratively, getting tiresome:
(Go subscribe to Laura's Substack for more from her POV - DB).
Why, yes, yes Israel was attacked - for, what - the 5th time this week alone? - by a Houthi ballistic missile at 03:29 Friday morning.
Millions of residents (some of my family members among them) were shocked awake and had to scurry for shelter as the “debris cloud” remains of the destroyed incoming rocket aimed and intended to kill arced through Israeli skies.
"2 Million Israelis rushing to shelters almost every night by Houthi ballistic missiles doesn’t make the cut of being newsworthy on BBC, but a UN official NOT being hurt by an Israeli strike in Yemen does. Go figure." (clip via “Israel Realtime”)
Mossad chief, Dede Barnea, had recommended to PM Bibi Netanyahu that Israel strike Iran, instead of yesterday's massive IAF strike with some 100 aircraft, which targeted Yemeni infrastructure, their sole airport and power station in the capital, Sanaa, and Hodeida seaport, blocking access to incoming Iranian missile shipments.
Perhaps the IDF and allies used the latest Israeli retaliation as a final "tweak" before going for the head of the snake.
Tonight - Friday evening - marks the third of eight nights of Hannukah candlelighting; by the results of last night's strike in the Tehran terror proxy's heart, who knows what the IDF and Mossad have in store for our mortal foes by the eighth night this coming Wednesday evening.
Initial reports say IDF strikes have toppled the control tower of the international airport at the Yemeni capital, Sana'a.
“The attack, being carried out in broad daylight, has three main goals,” according to Ch. 14 reporter, Hillel Biton Rosen:
Shutting down Sana'a Airport
Destroying the capital's power plants
Demolishing the seaport at Hodeidah, already hit in a previous Israeli attack.
“This may be the opening salvos of a protracted campaign,” Rosen said.
A senior Israeli official to Ch. 13 reporter, Moriah Asraf:
"If the Houthis don't understand with force, they will understand with more force. It is better for them to draw conclusions from what happened in Gaza and Lebanon as soon as possible."
The Israeli Air Force attack, which reportedly included dozens of aircraft, came during a speech by Houthi leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.
Israeli sources said the attack was part of a larger operation.
"If the Houthis caused Israeli citizens to sleep poorly - we will cause them to not live well and perhaps not live at all,” a senior Israeli official said, according to Rosen.
"Senior Houthi official Hizam Al-Assad told the Arab media: ‘We are in an open campaign against the Israeli entity, the United States and Britain, and we have many options. The Israeli entity's attack on power plants and ports is an attempt to create popular discontent in Yemen. The Israeli enemy must wait for our response to its aggression in Yemen at a high rate,’” according to Ch. 12 reporter, Sapir Lipkin.
This report will be updated as events dictate. Previous posts on Houthi attacks on Israel follow:
Update: IDF Spokesperson:
Following the alerts that were activated between 17:26 and 17:27 in the areas west of Lachish [Ashkelon area] and the Gaza envelope, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was identified that crossed from Yemen and fell in an open area.
There are no reports of physical injuries or damage from the drone, which entered Israeli airspace as millions of Israelis were lighting the first candle for Hannukah. Can't wait to see what holiday present the IDF is preparing in return — can you?
Like I wrote just yesterday: “Yemen is toast.” Millions of Israelis were awoken early Tuesday (and now, Wednesday) morning when Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen tried for the over 200th time to mass murder Jews in Israel.
Yes, I'm reposting yesterday's post (with updated content and new material) in order to save on typing fatigue for when the modern-day Maccabees make their move, and I'll be REAL busy trying to keep up... By the way: tonight we light the 1st candle of Hannukah - and I'm guessing the IDF is also planning their own "candlelighting" for our Yemeni and Iranian neighbors.
(ps: how was your Christmas morning?)
From the local version of SNL: Do I even need to translate or explain that there was another Houthi ballistic missile aimed to mass murder Israelis at 4:21 this morning?
About 10 people were either injured running for shelter, or were treated for trauma in Wednesday's attack - some 50 over the last two days’ attacks, according to Magen David Adom officials.
The IDF said they fired an Arrow defensive interceptor that destroyed the incoming missile, beyond Israel's borders:
In Tuesday's attack, a 60-year-old woman sustained serious injuries running for shelter in the 01:45 AM attack. An IDF Arrow missile destroyed the incoming Houthi weapon "beyond Israel's borders," the Army said.
Times of Israel: “The Houthis have launched more than 200 missiles and 170 drones at Israel in the past year. According to the IDF, the vast majority did not reach Israel or were intercepted by the military and Israeli allies in the region.
“Israel has carried out airstrikes against Houthi targets only three times in response to the group’s attacks, the latest on Thursday.
“The Iran-backed group has also carried out repeated missile and drone attacks on some 100 merchant vessels attempting to traverse the Red Sea, forcing many carriers to avoid the key waterway and hamstringing global shipping.”
[This report —recorded in our homefront “mamad” bomb shelter perch in the northern Galilee—will be updated as events dictate. Meanwhile, please feel free to share this post, subscribe, and donate to help support my efforts to bring you accurate, sourced reporting, and close-up-and-personal slice-of-life scenes here in northern Israel and our Life on the Border - thank you for your consideration]:
Israeli Defence Minister, Yisrael Katz:
"These days, when the Houthi terrorist organization is firing missiles at Israel, I want to convey a clear message to them at the beginning of my remarks: We have defeated Hamas, we have defeated Hezbollah, we have blinded Iran's defense systems, and damaged the production systems; we have toppled the Assad regime in Syria; we have dealt a severe blow to the axis of evil, and we will also deal a severe blow to the Houthi terrorist organization in Yemen, which remains the last to stand," Katz said.
Israel will "damage their strategic infrastructure, and we will behead their leaders – just as we did to Haniyeh, Sinwar, and Nasrallah in Tehran, Gaza, and Lebanon – we will do it in Hodeidah and Sana'a," Katz said during an event to honor ministry staff.
"...and to all a good night."
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Appreciated Jonathan's lack of response to her thank you, small tastes of pettiness go a long way, his turnaround of the hamper question was brilliant and so understated
I am glad that the Israeli response to these heinous crimes has finally arrived. May peace soon prevail in Israel and throughout the land.