BEIRUT

Hezbollah said Saturday that it considered a “reckless” Israeli attack on the Al Hudaydah governorate in Yemen “a signal for the beginning of a new and dangerous phase” of confrontation at the regional level.

“The Zionist aggression against Yemen, with complete American protection and support, is a continuation of the American-British aggression against Yemen,” said the Lebanese group.

It affirmed its “strong support for the Yemeni people in defending itself, its sovereignty, and its heroic and historic stance alongside Palestine, its people, and its resistance.”

The Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah channel reported casualties earlier from Israeli airstrikes on the Al Hudaydah port.

The strikes targeted oil storage facilities at the port, as well as the power station in the governorate.

It was the first direct Israeli response to recent Houthi attacks.

The Israeli airstrikes came after a drone attack by the Houthi group against Tel Aviv early Friday, which resulted in the death of an Israeli and injuries to nine others.

Fears have grown of a full-fledged war between Israel and Hezbollah amid an exchange of cross-border attacks.​​​​​​​

The escalation comes against the backdrop of a deadly Israeli onslaught on Gaza, which has killed more than 38,900 victims since October, following an attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala