In a statement, Mr Guterres noted that Israel claimed responsibility for the attacks, which took place on Saturday, in response to earlier attacks on Israel by the Houthis – formally known as Ansar Allah – a group that controls large swaths of territory in Yemen, including Hudaida.
The strikes came after a drone attack on the Israeli city of Tel Aviv on Friday that killed one person and wounded 10 others. The attack was claimed by the Houthis and prompted a senior Israeli minister to vow to “settle the score.” Israeli strikes on Saturday hit electricity infrastructure and a refinery, sparking a large fire.
Attempts to mediate between the Houthis and the Yemeni government have stalled in recent months. After the Gaza war broke out in October, the Houthis vowed to attack what they saw as pro-Israeli shipping interests along the Red Sea coast as a show of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
In turn, a US-led coalition defending shipping in the Red Sea continues to attack areas controlled by the Houthis, such as Hudaida, the capital Sana’a and Ta’iz.
The Houthis reportedly warned that the group’s response to the Israeli airstrikes will be “huge” and that the group will continue to attack Israel and that there will be no “red lines.”
The Yemeni conflict, which began in 2015, has been devastating for civilians. The UN says the war has destroyed most sectors in Yemen, including health care, and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. About half the population, some 18.2 million people, require some form of aid.