Israel launched major airstrikes in Yemen on Monday that targeted the Red Sea port of Hodeidah and a concrete factory near a city in the same province, strikes that came a day after a Houthi missile struck Israel’s Ben Gurion airport.
The Israeli military said that about 20 of its warplanes took part in the attack and dropped about 50 munitions on the port and the concrete factory. The strikes were launched in coordination with the US.
It’s unclear if US warplanes directly took part in the Israeli attack, but the US did launch other airstrikes in Yemen on Monday. According to Yemen’s SABA news agency, a total of 18 US airstrikes targeted the Yemeni capital of Sanaa and the Al Jawf province.
SABA also reported that at least 21 people were injured by the attack on the Bajil cement factory, which it described as a preliminary toll. The Israeli military took credit for bombing the factory, claiming it “serves as an important economic resource for the Houthi terror regime and is used for building tunnels and military infrastructure.”
Israel launched several rounds of airstrikes against Yemen last year, but this attack marks the first time the Israeli military bombed the country under the new Trump administration. Before the missile strike on Ben Gurion Airport, the Trump administration had asked Israel not to respond to the Houthis’ attacks and said that US forces would handle the retaliation.
The Trump administration launched its bombing campaign in Yemen on March 15 after the Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, announced they would re-impose a blockade on Israeli shipping in response to Israel violating the Gaza ceasefire deal by imposing a total blockade on the Palestinian territory.
After Israel completely broke the ceasefire deal and resumed its genocidal war on Gaza on March 18, Yemeni forces began launching missiles and drones at Israel again despite the US bombing campaign. The US has launched over 1,000 airstrikes on Yemen since March 15, killing over 200 civilians, but the Houthis remain undeterred.
After the missile strike hit the Ben Gurion airport, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree announced Yemen would impose an air blockade on Israel by “repeatedly” attacking its airports.
The Houthis, who are known for their resilience, have vowed they will not stop their attacks on Israel or end the blockade on Israeli shipping unless there’s a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the Israeli siege. They have offered to stop attacking US warships if the US stops bombing Yemen, but the Trump administration has shown no interest in the offer.
