On Sunday Israel's military launched airstrikes on three ports and a power facility against Houthi-controlled Yemen, resulting in the group launching a barrage of missiles in retaliation. Israel is calling the major new initiative 'Operation Black Flag'.

The Israeli military (IDF) announced it had targeted the Red Sea ports of Hodeidah, Ras Isa, and as-Salif, as well as the Ras Kathib power station. Additionally, it described striking a radar system aboard the Galaxy Leader, a ship previously seized by the Houthis and currently docked in Hodeidah.

This is the first escalation of its kind in nearly a month, and the IDF defended the action as necessary and warranted after intercepting a missile launched from Yemen earlier that day.

At least two more missiles were fired on Israel following the port strikes, with Houthi military spokesperson Yehyaa Saree later confirmed the launches, saying they again targeted Ben Gurion Airport, as well as the ports of Ashdod and Eilat and a power station in Ashkelon.

Israeli defense systems were active in seeking to intercept the inbound missiles, with possible damage on the ground still being assessed. No casualties on either side of this fresh flare-up were initially reported.

There are meanwhile new fears that another war could erupt in the Red Sea, as we also reported earlier.

On Saturday evening, air raid sirens sounded across the Dead Sea region and parts of the West Bank following the launch of a ballistic missile from Yemen toward Israel. The launch, attributed to Iran-backed Houthi forces, marked an alarming expansion of their missile capabilities beyond the Red Sea maritime chokepoint. 

Hours later, on Sunday morning, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) received a report that a merchant vessel transiting 51 nautical miles southwest of Al Hudaydah, Yemen, came under attack by multiple boats armed with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades. The vessel's onboard security team returned fire. The incident remains ongoing.

Israel has launched 'Operation Black Flag' against Yemen.

Warplanes have dropped at least 60 munitions across the country, including on the ports of Hodeidah and Ras Issa after the Yemeni Armed Forces targeted the Magic Seas in the Red Sea, a vessel linked to Israel, earlier… pic.twitter.com/IPqYm3H7Qc

— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) July 6, 2025

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is visiting  the White House on Monday, where a potential ceasefire deal could materialize to end the 21-month war in Gaza. Trump has previously announced a "final proposal" for a 60-day ceasefire. Renewed conflict in Yemen is likely to also be on the agenda, after the US military formally ended its Red Sea mission.

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Below are more developing events and headlines via Newsquawk:

Middle East

• Israeli military issued an evacuation order to people at Yemen’s ports of Hodeidah, Ras Isa and Al-Salif, as well as to those inside the Hodeidah power station, while it announced to carry out airstrikes in those areas due to military activities being conducted there. Israel's Defence Minister later confirmed military strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen's ports of Hodeidah, Salif, Ras Isa, as well as the Ras Qatib power plant
• A Liberia-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier was attacked 51NM off Yemen’s Hodeidah, while the UKMTO later announced that all crew abandoned a ship that was attacked southwest of Yemen’s Hodeidah.
• Israeli PM’s office said the changes requested by Hamas to the Qatari proposal are not acceptable to Israel, while the negotiating team will depart to Qatar for Gaza talks.
• Israeli PM Netanyahu said he is determined to ensure hostages’ return to Israel and remove the Hamas threat from Gaza, while he said his negotiators in ceasefire talks have clear instructions to achieve an agreement under conditions Israel has accepted. Furthermore, Netanyahu said ahead of his White House meeting that he believes the discussion with US President Trump can certainly help advance these results.
• US President Trump said he will discuss Iran with Israeli PM Netanyahu and noted Iran’s nuclear program was set back permanently but they may restart in a different location, while Trump also said there could be a Gaza deal during the week ahead.
• First session of indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas in Qatar ended inconclusively and the Israeli delegation does not have sufficient mandate to reach an agreement with Hamas as it has no real power, according to two Palestinian officials cited by Reuters.
• Hamas government office rejected a US State Department accusation that Hamas was involved in an attack on Americans at a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation site on Saturday.
• UK government re-established diplomatic relations with Syria.
• The second round of (Israel-Hamas) negotiations in Doha will begin this afternoon, via Al Arabiya sources. Subsequently, there is reportedly a positive atmosphere in Israel-Hamas negotiations, no breakthrough so far, according to Al Hadath.

Ukraine

• US President Trump said they won’t be sending patriot missiles to Ukraine but talked about it and noted they have to be protected, while he said Russian President Putin is worried about sanctions and understands it may be coming.
• Russian military forces gained control of Sobolivka in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region and Piddubne in Donetsk region.
• Russian Foreign Minister says Russia does not need a temporary ceasefire, but rather a lasting peace.