Civilian sites in western Yemen were hit in what Israeli media called “Operation Port City,” coordinated closely with Washington.
Israel launched a series of airstrikes on Yemen Monday evening, in coordination with the United States, claiming the attacks were in response to a missile strike on Ben Gurion Airport the previous day. The full extent of the damage remains unclear.
The Israeli military said it targeted sites affiliated with Ansarallah in Hodeidah, western Yemen, including the port of Hodeidah and a concrete factory located east of the city.
Israel claimed the port was being used to smuggle Iranian weapons and military equipment to Ansarallah, adding that the group “operates with Iranian funding and guidance to destabilize and threaten international navigation.”
Yemeni Media outlets confirmed that “an American-Israeli aggression targeted the Bajil district in Hodeidah,” and reported that the port was struck by six airstrikes. They said a cement factory in Bajil was hit, resulting in injuries to 21 people.
BREAKING:
Israeli fighter jets, in coordination with the U.S., launched strikes on Yemen, targeting the port of Hodeidah and the Bajil cement plant—2,000 km from Israel. The Israeli military reported dozens of strikes, 20 jets involved, and 50 missiles launched. Yemen’s… pic.twitter.com/5QKdPfNXAe
— Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) May 5, 2025
Israel’s Channel 12 reported that 30 Israeli fighter jets took part in the operation, citing officials. An Israeli security source told the channel that 48 bombs were dropped on over 10 targets, severely damaging the port of Hodeidah.
According to Israel Hayom, the operation—dubbed “Operation Port City”—was conducted in eight waves, with dozens of Israeli aircraft involved, alongside US attacks on Ansarallah positions.
Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Israel Katz oversaw the offensive from the army’s General Staff Command Room in Tel Aviv. Prior to the operation, Netanyahu posted a video on social media saying he was heading to the Ministry of Defense “for an important purpose.”
US Coordination
Axios reported that the Israeli operation was coordinated with the United States. A senior US official said Israel informed Washington in advance of the strikes. While American forces did not participate directly, an Israeli official confirmed to Axios that the target included the port of Hodeidah and a key factory used by Ansarallah.
The Jerusalem Post, citing sources, also reported that the Israeli Air Force carried out a joint counterattack with the United States targeting Ansarallah.
BREAKING: ISRAEL LAUNCHES AIRSTRIKE ON YEMEN
Israeli officials confirm that the country’s Air Force is carrying out strikes on the port city of Hodeidah.
The strikes are in response to a ballistic missile attack by Houthi forces, which hit an area near Ben Gurion Airport… pic.twitter.com/o7HwBbG7rq
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 5, 2025
Prepared for Response
Israel’s Channel 13 quoted a security source as saying Israel does not expect the strikes to stop Ansarallah’s missile launches and is preparing for a possible retaliation. The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) cited an official saying, “The equation with Ansarallah has changed after the targeting of Ben Gurion Airport.”
On Sunday, the Israeli military confirmed that a missile launched from Yemen struck near Ben Gurion Airport after failing to intercept it. Ansarallah military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated that the group used a hypersonic ballistic missile to target the airport, and that it successfully hit its objective.
Following the missile strike, several airlines—including Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines, Austrian Airlines, Air India, Alitalia, and Air Europa—canceled their flights to Tel Aviv.
(PC, AJA)
