Israel announces airstrikes against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen

The Israeli military confirmed that it carried out airstrikes on May 5 against Houthi targets in Yemen, a day after a ballistic missile launched by the Iran-backed group struck the grounds of Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, injuring at least six people.

In a written statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its fighter jets attacked Houthi targets along Yemen’s coastline in response to repeated surface-to-surface missile and drone attacks against Israeli territory by the terrorist group. Among the targets the Israeli fighter jets attacked was the Hudaydah port, which serves as a central supply source for the Houthis, the IDF said. The terrorist group uses the port to transfer Iranian weapons, military equipment, and other materiel.

Separately, the IDF said it attacked the Bajil concrete factory in Hudaydah Governorate. Besides being a “significant economic resource” for the Houthis, the cement produced at the factory is used to build tunnels and other infrastructure for military purposes, the IDF noted.

The company that operates the Bajil concrete factory is a state-owned entity called the Yemeni Cement Manufacturing and Marketing Corporation. The Houthis appointed the company’s director, Yahya Saleh Mohammed Yahya Atifa, in February 2024.

Since the collapse of the ceasefire in Gaza between Hamas and Israel on March 19, the Houthis have resumed attacking Israeli territory and maritime vessels in the Red Sea and beyond. On April 2, the Houthis launched an anti-ship ballistic missile toward the MV Hope Island, a British-owned cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden, which was escorted by a coalition warship. Additionally, on April 26, the Houthis fired three anti-ship ballistic missiles into the Red Sea near the MV MAISHA and MV Andromeda Star oil tankers, causing minor damage to the latter vessel. On May 2, the Houthis launched two missiles at northern Israel, triggering alarms in Haifa and surrounding areas. Israel’s missile defense system intercepted both projectiles.

On March 15, the US launched Operation Rough Rider, a comprehensive air and naval campaign targeting Houthi missile systems, drone facilities, and command centers, resulting in over 1,000 targets struck across Houthi-controlled regions of Yemen. The US has also coordinated with allies, including the United Kingdom, to conduct joint strikes, such as a significant operation on April 30, 2025, that targeted drone manufacturing facilities south of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa.

The latest escalation marks a significant expansion of the regional conflict as the Houthis deepen their involvement in direct hostilities against Israel. Despite ongoing US-led efforts to degrade the group’s missile and drone capabilities through sustained airstrikes, the Houthis have demonstrated a continued ability to launch attacks against Israel.

The United States, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Australia, and other countries have designated the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization.

Joe Truzman is an editor and senior research analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal focused primarily on Palestinian armed groups and non-state actors in the Middle East.