Israel issues evacuation warnings for Yemen ports after vowing to ‘defend itself by itself’

The Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for three ports in Yemen on Sunday night after vowing to “defend itself by itself” following a ceasefire deal between the US and the Houthis that excluded Israel. The warning, posted on social media by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Arabic media spokesperson Avichay Adraee, warned people to evacuate the ports of Ras Isa, Hodeidah, and Salif. The anticipated airstrikes come two days after Israel intercepted a missile fired from Yemen, according to the IDF. That missile was the first since President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire deal between the US and the Iran-backed rebel group last week. Despite the deal, the Houthis said they would continue to attack Israel in solidarity with the Palestinian population of Gaza. Blindsided by the deal, Israel vowed it would strike the Houthis alone if necessary. “Israel must be able to defend itself by itself against any threat and any enemy,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement last week. “This has been true in the face of many past challenges, and it will remain true in the future.” This marks the second time within a week that Israel has issued an evacuation warning for Yemen. Last Tuesday, the military issued a warning for Yemen’s international airport in the capital of Sana’a before carrying out strikes that it said “fully” disabled the facility.