Hodeidah (South24 Center)

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Israeli warplanes launched a series of intense airstrikes on the western Yemeni city of Hodeidah on Monday evening, May 5, targeting what Israeli authorities described as “critical Houthi infrastructure.” The strikes reportedly hit the strategic port and nearby industrial facilities.

 

The air raids came just one day after Yemen’s Houthi militia fired a hypersonic ballistic missile at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. The attack wounded eight people and led to a temporary shutdown of the airport after Israeli missile defense systems failed to intercept the projectile.

 Read more at: Houthi Missile Targets Ben Gurion Airport, Israel Vows Retribution

Citing Israeli military sources, Israel’s Channel 12 and Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the operation, dubbed “City of Ports,” involved over 30 fighter jets that dropped at least 50 bombs on multiple targets across Hodeidah city and port.

 

Among the targeted sites was a cement factory in Bajil district, which Israel alleges has been used by the Houthis for constructing military infrastructure and tunnels.

 

An Israeli military official told the Walla news site that the airstrikes were coordinated with the United States, though American forces did not take part directly in the operation.

The Israeli military said on platform X that around 20 Israeli aircraft carried out strikes on dozens of Houthi targets, using 50 shells and missiles.

The Israeli military added that the strikes aimed to target revenue sources used to transfer Iranian weapons and build military infrastructure.

 

An Israeli security official told Channel 12: “We struck 10 vital locations. The port of Hodeidah sustained significant damage. This is a heavy blow to the Houthis' economic and military infrastructure.”

 

Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV confirmed the airstrikes, reporting six aerial raids on Hodeidah city and port, and accused both Washington and Tel Aviv of carrying out a “joint aggression” on Yemeni territory.

Meanwhile, the Houthi-run Ministry of Health announced that 21 people were injured in the strikes targeting the Bajil Cement Factory.

 

According to Israel Hayom, the air campaign was overseen from the Israeli Ministry of Defense’s operations room in the presence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi.

 

On Sunday, Houthis claimed responsibility for launching a hypersonic ballistic missile at Ben Gurion Airport. The missile reportedly bypassed Israeli Arrow and THAAD interception systems and caused injuries, leading to a temporary suspension of air traffic.

 

In a subsequent military statement, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz warned: “Whoever harms us will receive a response many times harsher.”

 

The Houthis later declared a “comprehensive aerial blockade” on Israel and threatened to continue targeting its airports and airspace in the coming days.