Houthis threaten retaliatory strikes against Israel following airstrikes
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Sanaa, July 21 (IANS) – Yemen's Houthi group has determined to launch counter attacks against Israel after Israeli airstrikes destroyed oil storage facilities in the Houthi-controlled port city of Hodeidah on the Red Sea.
"The Israeli enemy launched a brutal aggression on Hodeidah, targeting the power station, the port, and the fuel storages, all of which are civilian targets," Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a televised statement.
"We will not hesitate to hit vital targets in Israel," he said, reiterating that Tel Aviv will not remain a safe area, Xinhua news agency reported.
Earlier in the day, Israel said its fighter jets hit and destroyed Houthi targets in Hodeidah port city.
Residents and eyewitnesses told Xinhua that the fire in the oil storage facilities lasted hours.
The Israeli air strikes came a day after the Houthis claimed responsibility for a drone attack on a building in Tel Aviv that killed a person and injured 10 others.
The Houthis have been targeting Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November last year to show solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Many shipping companies have since changed their routes to go around the southern tip of Africa to avoid drone and missile attacks.
Source-IANS