CAIRO, May 5, 2025 — Six airstrikes targeted Yemen’s strategic port city of Hodeidah on Monday, according to Al Masirah TV, a media outlet affiliated with the Houthi movement. The Houthis attributed the attacks to Israel and the United States, marking a significant escalation in regional hostilities.

The strikes occurred a day after the Iran-aligned Houthis launched a missile that landed near Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport, causing alarm and prompting several international airlines to suspend flights to and from Israel. The missile strike was notable as it was the first such attack since March that was not intercepted by Israeli defense systems.

While there has been no immediate official comment from Israeli or U.S. authorities regarding the Hodeidah strikes, Israeli media outlets, including Channel 12, cited senior officials confirming Israel’s involvement in the attacks. Additionally, Axios reporter Barak Ravid reported that a senior U.S. official acknowledged Israel’s actions in Yemen were coordinated with Washington.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously vowed to retaliate against the Houthis for their missile attacks, which have been framed by the Houthis as acts of solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The Houthis have been targeting Israel and Red Sea shipping lanes since late 2023, intensifying their military activities in response to Israel’s operations in Gaza.

The situation underscores the growing complexity of regional conflicts, with Yemen’s civil war and the Israel-Hamas conflict increasingly intersecting. The Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah is a critical hub for humanitarian aid and commercial goods, and its targeting raises concerns about the exacerbation of Yemen’s humanitarian crisis.

As tensions escalate, the international community watches closely, concerned about the potential for further regional destabilization and the impact on global shipping routes through the Red Sea.

Source; Reuters