Israel Attacks Yemen’s Hodeidah Port After Missile Hits Near Tel Aviv Airport

The Israeli military launched airstrikes on Yemen’s Hodeidah port and a cement factory on May 5, 2025, a day after a ballistic missile fired by Houthi rebels struck near Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport.

The strikes injured at least 21 people, according to the Houthi-run health ministry. Israel claimed the targeted sites were used to support Houthi military operations, with the cement factory serving as a key resource for building tunnels and other infrastructure.

Israel said that the port was a hub for transferring Iranian weapons to the Houthis-though the claim could not be independently verified.

Witnesses reported over 10 strikes on the port and residential neighbourhoods in Hodeidah. Local sources estimated that around 70% of the port’s infrastructure- including docks, warehouses, and the customs area- sustained damage.

A large fire reported in the Bajil district in Hodeidah Govenorate following Israeli airstrikes against Houthi targets. pic.twitter.com/HzcaEL1zTB

— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) May 5, 2025

Operations at the port, which handles about 80% of Yemen’s food imports, have come to a standstill.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed retaliation after the latest missile strike near Tel Aviv, which left six people injured and created a crater close to the airport’s main terminal.

It marked the first known Houthi missile to avoid interception since the group targeting Israel in November 2023.

Israel’s military said some 20 fighter jets participated in Monday’s operation, coordinated with the United States but not conducted jointly. While a US defense official confirmed coordination, they said US forces were not directly involved in the strikes.

Some of the first footage from tonight’s unilateral strikes by the Israeli Air Force against Hodeidah in Houthi-controlled Western Yemen, which is reported to have heavily targeted a cement factory on the outskirts of the city as well as the Port of Hodeidah. pic.twitter.com/gWDSVCLnsV

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) May 5, 2025

The Houthis, backed by Iran, resumed attacks on Israel and Red Sea shipping in March following a pause during a Gaza ceasefire.

A senior Houthi official vowed the group would retaliate, saying the strikes would not deter its operations. This is Israel’s sixth strike in Yemen since the Gaza war began.

Houthi missile and drone attacks have intensified in recent months, which the group says are in solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel’s offensive on Gaza-an operation that killed over 52,000 people, according to Gaza health authorities.

References: aljazeera, nbcnews

Source: Maritime Shipping News