Israel launched a series of airstrikes on Houthi-controlled sites in Yemen on Monday evening, one day after a missile fired from the country landed near Ben-Gurion Airport, wounding several people and forcing flight suspensions. The missile strike, the first of its kind to reach the airport vicinity since the war with Hamas began, prompted coordinated but separate military responses from both Israel and the United States.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that 20 Israeli fighter jets targeted the Houthi-held port city of Al Hudaydah and a cement factory in nearby Bajil, dropping 50 munitions. The Israeli military described the port as a hub for Iranian arms shipments and accused the Houthis of using the concrete facility to support tunnel-building and military operations. Images released by Israeli authorities showed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and top defense officials overseeing the mission from IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv.
At least 21 people were injured in the Israeli strikes, according to the Houthi-run Health Ministry. Damage at Al Hudaydah Port was described as extensive, with port workers reporting destruction to storage docks and a complete halt to port operations. The port handles around 80% of Yemen’s food imports.
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Simultaneously, the US military carried out separate strikes in and around Sanaa, the Yemeni capital, as part of a broader campaign to curb Houthi missile and drone launches. According to US Central Command, these operations have targeted weapons facilities, air defense systems, and storage locations, reducing Houthi missile attacks by 69% and drone strikes by 55% since mid-March. While not involved in Monday’s Israeli strikes, US forces are in ongoing coordination with Israel, a US official said.
The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, have been launching missiles and drones at Israel since the outbreak of the Gaza war on October 7, 2023. They claim their attacks are in support of Palestinians and have threatened to impose an “aerial blockade” on Israeli airports. A Houthi spokesperson vowed retaliation, stating the Israeli operation “will not affect our military operations against the Zionist enemy entity.”
Iran denied involvement in the Ben-Gurion attack, calling it an independent Houthi decision. Tehran warned both the US and Israel against attacking its territory, saying it would respond decisively to any such move.
Netanyahu has pledged further actions against the Houthis and Iran, warning, “It will not happen in one bang, but there will be many bangs.”