The Israeli military launched a wave of air strikes on Houthi-controlled western Yemen early Monday, only hours after warning civilians and shipping to leave the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Isa and Salif and the nearby Ras Khatib power plant. The operation, dubbed “Black Flag,” is Israel’s most extensive action against the Iran-aligned group in nearly a month. Israeli fighter jets hit the three ports, the power station and the roll-on roll-off vessel Galaxy Leader, which the Houthis seized in 2023 and equipped with radar, the Israel Defense Forces said. Israeli media reported that roughly 60 munitions were employed. According to the IDF, the targeted sites handled Iranian-supplied weapons and served as launch points for drone and missile attacks on Israel. Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree claimed air defences confronted the raid and promised retaliation. Within hours, two missiles were fired from Yemen toward Israel, setting off sirens near the Dead Sea, though no casualties were reported. Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that the Houthis "will continue to pay a heavy price for their actions." The flare-up follows Sunday’s suspected Houthi drone-boat strike on the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Magic Seas in the Red Sea, an incident that forced the crew to abandon ship. Repeated Houthi attacks on vessels and Israel have disrupted a trade route that normally carries about US$1 trillion in goods each year, prompting periodic Israeli and US strikes across Yemen.