(MENAFN) Residents of Hodeidah, Yemen, were startled awake last Sunday by the sight of billowing black smoke engulfing their city's skyline. The cause: Israel had conducted its first direct attack on Yemen, targeting a vital port that serves as a crucial lifeline for the city. The strike on the fuel depot resulted in the deaths of nine people and left more than 80 others injured, exacerbating tensions already heightened by recent hostilities between Israel and Houthi forces.

The escalation began with a Houthi drone strike on Tel Aviv, which claimed one life. This attack, coupled with ongoing Houthi drone strikes into southern Israel and assaults on commercial ships in the Red Sea, had already strained regional stability. Concurrently, Israel has been involved in cross-border skirmishes with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and has conducted military operations in Syria.

The Israeli strike on Hodeidah represents a significant escalation, directly involving Israel in Yemen's conflict dynamics. The international community has long warned of potential spillover effects from conflicts in the Middle East, particularly concerning Yemen's strategic location and the involvement of multiple regional actors.

In response to these developments, Nada AlTaher hosts a discussion in this week's Beyond the Headlines. The panel includes Abdul Ghani Al-Iryani, a senior researcher at the Sana'a Centre for Strategic Studies, and Kobi Michael, a senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. The focus is on assessing whether these latest attacks will catalyze a full-scale war in the region, considering the complex geopolitical dynamics and escalating military engagements.

The discussion delves into the potential ramifications of Israel's direct involvement in Yemen, exploring possible scenarios for regional conflict escalation and the broader implications for international security. As tensions remain high and military actions continue, the world watches closely to understand the evolving dynamics and the impact on global stability.

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