Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Justice Minister Yariv Levin refused to participate in the cabinet vote on the attack on Yemen on Saturday, citing insufficient information regarding the pending operation. The vote was therefore not unanimous.
Smotrich stated that he did not participate in the vote on the matter because the information provided to the cabinet regarding approval for the operation came after it had already been decided. Smotrich's office issued a statement saying that "Israel must continue to attack with all its might, even in faraway locations. The strikes on Yemen are a good action by the IDF, which I support, although more is possible and needed."
"I asked not to participate in the vote because the cabinet was given insufficient details regarding the operation, and what details we did receive came late. The issue was put to vote after the people at the top had made their decision. Thus, the vote was a 'rubber stamp' only, and I chose not to vote," said the finance minister.
"However, I trust the prime minister's decision," the finance minister added.
KAN reported that the attack plan was approved during a four hour political-security cabinet meeting, and that by the time the Israeli warplanes left for their destination before the meeting had finished.
To prevent leaks before the attack was carried out, the cabinet ministers received personal summons from the military secretary of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, KAN added.
The IDF announced on Saturday that Israel had carried out strikes on Yemen. The Houthis reported explosions in Hodeidah in western Yemen, which came in response to the Houthi drone strike on Tel Aviv on Friday which killed 50-year-old Yevgeny Perder, and wounded eight others.
Cabinet meeting took four hours
The IDF spokesperson stated that "Fighter planes recently attacked military targets of the Houthi terrorist regime in the Hodeidah port area in Yemen, in response to the hundreds of attacks against the State of Israel in recent months."
The discussion to approve the operational plans took place on Saturday morning under the chairmanship of Defense Minister Gallant, together with the Chief of Staff Major General Herzi Halevi, Air Force Commander Major General Tomer Bar, Head of the Operations Division Major General Oded Basyuk, Chief of Defense Staff Major General Aharon Haliva, and Chief Major General Eliezer Toledano Strategy Division.