Israel exchanged missile fire with Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on Monday, targeting the group’s ports and other facilities.

Israel’s initial strikes came in reaction to a suspected Houthi attack on a Liberian-flagged ship in the Red Sea. The vessel was targeted with explosives and small arms fire, causing it to take on water and forcing the crew to abandon ship. The Houthis have not yet claimed responsibility for the attack. Israel’s military issued a warning prior to its attack, which targeted ports at Hodeida, Ras Isa and Salif.

“These ports are used by the Houthi terrorist regime to transfer weapons from the Iranian regime, which are employed to carry out terrorist operations against the state of Israel and its allies,” the Israeli military said.

The Houthis responded in kind when Israeli missiles started falling, but Israel reported no casualties from the attack.

Israel’s air defense targets Iranian missiles in the sky of Tel Aviv in Israel, on June 16, 2025. (MATAN GOLAN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

U.S. Army Gen. Michael Kurilla told lawmakers in the House Armed Services Committee last month that Iran is the number one reason the Houthis remain a threat, adding the terrorist network “would die on the vine without Iranian support.”

News of Monday’s exchange comes just hours before President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are set to meet at the White House.

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are set to meet once again at the White House on Monday. (REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt/File Photo/File Photo)

The two leaders are expected to discuss the future of Gaza, with Israel insisting Hamas must be removed from the region completely.

The Associated Press contributed to this report