The IDF began conducting strikes on Sanaa International Airport in Yemen on Tuesday afternoon.
Smoke rises in Sanaa after IDF airstrikes hit the city, May 6, 2025. Credit: (VIA SECTION 27A OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT)
Houthi-run Lebanon-based Al Masirah TV reported that the IDF also struck Dhabhan Central Power station in south-east Sanaa, and the Amran cement factory south of the capital.
The international airport is located north of the city.
This follows the military's statement at 2:36 p.m. which warned all Yemeni citizens at the airport to evacuate prior to an upcoming Israeli airstrike there.
#عاجل ‼️ انذار عاجل إلى جميع المتواجدين في منطقة مطار صنعاء الدولي وفق ما يعرض في الخارطة المرفقة.⭕️ندعوكم إلى اخلاء منطقة المطار – مطار صنعاء الدولي – بشكل فوري وتحذير كل من يتواجد بجواركم عن ضرورة اخلاء هذه المنطقة فورًا ⭕️عدم الاخلاء والابتعاد عن المكان يعرضكم للخطر pic.twitter.com/5qXw5x4SBD
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) May 6, 2025
The warning is the first time that Israel has given a prior warning before attacking the Houthis, after six prior attacks when no warnings were given, including on Monday.
Defense sources explained that, in this instance, the nature of an international airport, as opposed to Yemen's Port of Hodeidah and other areas which Israel has attacked, demanded a different level of prior warning.
On Monday, the air force undertook a joint counter-strike of the Houthis in Yemen along with the US following the ballistic missile strike near Ben-Gurion Airport on Sunday.
Tuesday's strikes will be a second round of Israel's response to the hit on Ben-Gurion Airport.
During Monday's strike, about 20 fighter jets were part of the attack, during which 50 munitions were dropped on Houthi targets in total.
Tuesday's strike will be the seventh Israeli air strike on the Houthis since July 2024, following over 400 attacks by the Iranian proxy on Israel over the course of the war.
Just before 9:00 p.m. on Monday night, the IDF formally acknowledged attacking the Houthis around the Hodeidah seaport in Yemen, approximately 2,000 kilometers away.
תיעודים חדשים מתקיפות צה״ל בתימןלכל הפרטים:https://t.co/qYTV34MEw3 pic.twitter.com/83ACG1jMBv
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) May 6, 2025
Targets included the Hodeidah seaport, which the IDF noted serves as a major source of income for the Houthi regime. "The Hodeidah seaport is used to transfer Iranian weapons, equipment for military needs, and other terrorist needs."
In addition, the military said, "the Bajil concrete factory east of the city of Hodeidah was attacked, which serves as an important economic resource for the Houthi terrorist regime and is used to build tunnels and military infrastructure."
Next, the IDF stated, "The Houthi terrorist regime has been operating for the past year and a half under Iranian direction and funding in order to harm Israel and its allies, undermine the regional order, and disrupt global freedom of navigation. The IDF is determined to continue to act and strike forcefully at anyone who poses a threat to the residents and citizens of the State of Israel, and at whatever distance is required."
Israeli strikes
Earlier Monday evening, the US coordinated with Israel its own strike against the Houthis in Sanaa.
Israel's last counterstrike against the Houthis before this week was on January 11, before US President Donald Trump took office.
Since then, Israel has hoped that over 1,000 airstrikes by the US under Trump would be sufficient to stop Houthi attacks on Israel without Jerusalem getting directly involved.
However, the Houthis's successful hit near Ben-Gurion Airport shook up that calculation.
This is a developing story.
