Medical sources have reported an increase in the death toll from the Israeli airstrikes on Hodeidah, Yemen, with the number of fatalities now reaching five. The airstrikes also resulted in 87 injuries.
Initially, the death toll was two, then rose to three, and has now climbed to five, with the number expected to rise further due to the severe burns sustained by workers in the area.
According to the sources, most of the deceased were employees in the maritime and laboratory sections of the targeted facilities. Additionally, several port workers remain unaccounted for.
The Israeli military confirmed on Saturday that it had targeted Houthi sites in Hodeidah, Yemen.
In a statement, the military said, “The airstrikes were in response to hundreds of attacks against the State of Israel over the past few months.”
According to Israel’s Channel 13, the operation was conducted using 18 fighter jets, primarily F-35 and F-15 models. These aircraft dropped over 10 tons of explosives on Houthi positions in the port area of Hodeidah.
The Israeli airstrikes caused extensive damage to cranes used for unloading ammunition containers and destroyed several oil tanks.
The port of Hodeidah is a vital logistics hub, reportedly handling around 80% of the military supplies Iran sends to the Houthi rebels.
Israeli estimates suggest it could take the Houthis between six to twelve months to repair the damage and restore full functionality to the port.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani condemned the attack, adding that the Yemeni people are paying the price for their honourable support for the innocent people, women and children of Gaza.
Kanaani described the attacks as an expression of the aggressive nature of the Israeli entity that kills children and warned of the danger of escalating tension and the spread of war in the region as a result of the dangerous adventures of the Zionists.