Israel launches major airstrikes on Yemen’s Hodeida in retaliation for missile near Ben Gurion Airport

By  News On Air   May 06, 2025

Israel’s military conducted a major air offensive against Houthi rebels in Yemen’s Red Sea province of Hodeida yesterday, killing at least one person and wounding 35 others. The operation came as direct retaliation for the Iranian-backed rebels’ missile strike near Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday.

According to the Israeli military, more than 20 fighter planes participated in the operation, dropping over 50 munitions on dozens of targets. The Houthi rebels’ media office reported that at least six strikes hit the strategically important Hodeida port. Additional strikes targeted a cement factory in the Bajil district, located 55 kilometres northeast of Hodeida city. The full extent of damage to these facilities remains unclear.

This marks the latest in a series of Israeli military actions against Yemen over the past year, conducted in response to ongoing Houthi missile and drone attacks against Israel.

On Sunday, a missile launched by the Houthis from Yemen landed on a road leading to Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, temporarily suspending flights and local traffic. Four individuals suffered minor injuries. It was the first instance of a missile impacting the airport area since the war began.