Israel confirms missile attack on Houthi targets in Yemeni port city

July 20 (UPI) -- Israeli officials confirmed Saturday the country's military was responsible for a series of missile strikes in Yemen targeting infrastructure controlled by Houthi rebels.

On state-run Al Masirah TV, the Yemen-based Houthis had previously accused Israel of carrying out the attacks.

The Israel Defense Forces said the attacks in the western port city of Hodeidah were a general response and not due to one specific incident.

"A short while ago, IDF fighter jets struck military targets of the Houthi terrorist regime in the area of the Al Hudaydah Port in Yemen in response to the hundreds of attacks carried out against the State of Israel in recent months," the IDF said in a statement on X.

The strikes reportedly damaged oil facilities and resulted in an unspecified number of injuries. Officials have not confirmed whether anyone was killed.

Saturday's military operation comes one day after the Iran-backed Houthis carried out a drone attack in Tel Aviv.

On Friday, the drone fired by Houthi militants struck a building in the Israeli city, killing at least one person and injuring eight others.

The attack occurred overnight Thursday near the U.S. consulate in central Tel Aviv.

Following the strike, Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant said the country would strengthen its air defenses.

The United States and Britain have for months been carrying out missile attacks against the Houthi militia in Yemen in response to attacks by the group on commercial shipping through the Gulf of Aden.

Houthi militants on Monday attacked two merchant vessels off the coast of Hodeidah.