Israaeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at the Air Force Command Center on during the attack on Houthi Targets in Yemen on May 5, 2025. © Photo by Ma'ayan Toaf, GPO
Red Sea’s Unyielding Storm: Houthi Missiles Meet Israeli-U.S. Airstrikes
Sanaa/Tel Aviv: In the shadow of Sanaa’s battle-scarred corridors, where Yemen’s Houthi rebels hold sway over a war-torn land, the deafening roar of Israeli Air Force (IAF) and United States airstrikes on May 5 and 6, 2025, rocked Sanaa International Airport and Hodeidah port, claiming at least seven lives and threatening United Nations staff working to deliver aid.
The attack on the Houthi targets was for the second time in 24 hours. “We gave one response yesterday: A severe strike on the port of Hodeidah. Today, our planes attacked the airport in Sanaa, an airport that enables the terrorist army and allows for the entry by air to the terrorist state, which enables the firing of missiles at us,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today.
The joint operation came in retaliation for a Houthi ballistic missile that struck near Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport on May 4, 2025, injuring several and grounding flights.
“The Houthi terrorist organisation attempted to attack Ben-Gurion Airport, and in response,e today we destroyed the airport in Sanaa. We also struck additional targets, in continuation of the attacks yesterday on the port of Hodeidah, as well as additional national infrastructure. Whoever harms us – we harm them seven-fold,” Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said. He declared that this was also a warning to the head of the “Iranian octopus: You bear direct responsibility for the attack by the Houthi tentacle against the State of Israel, and you will also be held accountable for the results.”
Since October 2023, the Houthis have launched over 400 missile and drone attacks on Israel and Red Sea shipping, met by more than 1,000 Israeli and U.S. strikes on Yemen. From Sanaa’s shattered runways to Tel Aviv’s rattled terminals, this escalating conflict—fueled by Iran’s influence, Gaza’s war, and global trade disruptions—shows no signs of easing. This is the story of the Red Sea’s unyielding storm, where missiles clash with airstrikes, and the forces driving this relentless struggle.
On May 6, 2025, IAF jets, alongside US forces, targeted Houthi military sites at Sanaa International Airport and Hodeidah port, key hubs for Yemen’s 20 million aid-dependent people. The U.S. joined Israel to counter Houthi threats to Red Sea shipping, US naval assets, and Israel’s security, following the May 4 missile that evaded Israel’s Arrow system and US-provided Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD). US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated the strikes aimed to “neutralise Houthi attack capabilities”. Six died in Sanaa, one in Hodeidah, with 30 injured, per Houthi reports, though the UN confirmed two civilian deaths. At Sanaa International Airport, UN agencies like the World Food Programme (WFP) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) coordinate aid for Yemen’s 18 million in need, and Hodeidah port, a lifeline for food imports. The UN, via its spokesperson, expressed alarm over the strikes’ impact on humanitarian operations, but did not name affected staff, likely to protect their safety
Houthi spokesperson Nasruddin Amer vowed escalation, stating, “These raids only strengthen our resolve for Palestine”. The US role reflects three objectives: safeguarding 15% of global trade through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, countering Iran-backed Houthi aggression, and supporting Israel, though a Hodeidah shopkeeper lamented, “American bombs destroy our port, but it’s our livelihoods that burn.”
The US involvement in the May 6 strikes aligns with its broader strategy. Since October 2023, Houthi attacks on over 100 commercial vessels and multiple U.S. warships prompted the US to lead Operation Prosperity Guardian, a naval coalition to secure Red Sea routes. President Donald Trump’s January 2025 redesignation of the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organisation eased strike restrictions, with over 800 U.S. strikes since March targeting missile sites and leadership. US officials cite Iran’s supply of missiles and drones, via ships like MV Behshad, as a key driver, though Iran denies direct control. Supporting Israel, a key ally with $3.8 billion in annual US aid, is central, especially after Houthi attacks like May 4. However, Houthi leaders claim U.S. strikes violate Yemen’s sovereignty, and some X posts suggest the U.S. prioritises Israel’s Gaza campaign, though these claims are inconclusive.
The May 4, 2025, Houthi missile strike on Ben Gurion injured eight, damaged an access road, and disrupted flights. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed responsibility, stating, “Israel’s airports will face our wrath until Gaza’s blockade ends”. Netanyahu vowed retaliation, blaming Iran: “The Houthis will pay a heavy price”. Earlier, on April 23, 2025, a hypersonic missile targeted Ramat David Airbase, causing no casualties but signalling advanced Houthi capabilities. On April 10, drones struck Tel Aviv and the USS Harry S. Truman, retaliating for US strikes in Saada that allegedly killed dozens, though the UN reported two child deaths. On December 19, 2024, a Houthi missile hit a Tel Aviv school, injuring three, followed by Israeli strikes on Hodeidah, killing nine. On July 19, 2024, a drone struck near Tel Aviv’s U.S. Embassy office, killing one due to an Iron Dome failure, prompting Israeli strikes on Hodeidah that killed six.
The conflict’s roots lie in Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, killing 1,200 and sparking the Gaza war, with over 52,000 Palestinian deaths reported. The Houthis, backed by Iran’s “axis of resistance,” targeted Israel and Red Sea shipping to pressure Israel over Gaza’s blockade. By May 2025, Houthi attacks on ~100 ships sank two, killed four sailors, and forced 2,000 vessels to reroute, disrupting $1 trillion in trade. A January 2025 Gaza ceasefire paused attacks, but Israel’s March 2 aid blockade reignited them [web:0]. The Houthis’ Quds-2 missiles and Samad-4 drones, with 1,800 km ranges, have struck Israel over 400 times since October 2023.
What fuels this escalation? Geopolitically, Iran’s support for the Houthis heightens tensions, with U.S. officials alleging missile transfers, though Iran claims the Houthis act independently. Militarily, Houthi advanced weaponry challenges Israel’s defences, as seen on May 4, while Israeli-U.S. strikes on Hodeidah risk famine for 18 million Yemenis. Economically, Houthi attacks cut Suez Canal traffic by 50%, raising global shipping costs. Ideologically, the Houthis frame their fight as Palestinian solidarity, gaining local support despite civilian casualties, like 53 in Saada, though UN figures are lower. Their indiscriminate attacks on 40 nations’ ships undermine this narrative, per Western analysts.
The Red Sea’s unyielding storm exacts a heavy toll. Sanaa’s ruined airport and Hodeidah’s smouldering ports mirror Tel Aviv’s shaken streets. Houthi missiles and Israeli-U.S. airstrikes perpetuate a deadly cycle, driven by Iran’s shadow, Gaza’s plight, and trade disruption. Oman’s May 2025 ceasefire talks falter, with Houthi demands unmet. As bombs fall and missiles soar, Yemenis and Israelis bear the cost, and peace remains a distant hope amid the region’s raging tempest.
– global bihari bureau
