Israel Imposes Air and Sea Blockade on Yemen’s Houthis After Strikes

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on 17 August that Israel has initiated a comprehensive air and naval blockade against Yemen’s Houthi movement. Katz stated that the measure is intended to impose a "very painful" restriction on the Houthis and warned the group would "pay with compound interest" for any attempt to launch attacks toward Israel. Katz added that Israeli forces struck Houthi infrastructure and energy facilities earlier in the day and described the action as "just the beginning." No details were provided on the scale of the damage or potential follow-up operations. The announcement marks a sharp escalation in Israel’s response to Houthi threats amid heightened regional tensions.