I couldn’t find specific information about an Israeli airstrike on Yemen’s Hodeidah Port occurring the day after a Houthi strike on an airport in 2025. However, there have been several notable Israeli strikes on Hodeidah in response to Houthi attacks on Israel, particularly in 2024, which may align with the event you’re referencing. Below is a summary of relevant incidents based on available information, focusing on the pattern of Israeli retaliatory strikes against Houthi targets in Hodeidah following attacks on Israel.
Relevant Incidents
- January 10, 2025 – Israeli Strikes on Hodeidah and Other Sites
- Event: Israeli warplanes bombed a power station and two ports, including Hodeidah and Ras Issa, in Houthi-controlled Yemen, as well as the Hezyaz power station in Sanaa and Harf Sufyan in Amran province. Al Masirah TV, a Houthi-run outlet, reported one employee killed at Ras Issa and six injured, with three others wounded at Hezyaz.
- Context: The strikes were in retaliation for Houthi drone and missile attacks on Israel, though no specific airport strike was mentioned in the days prior. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the Houthis would “pay a heavy price” for their aggression, part of a broader campaign against Iran-backed groups.
- Impact: The attacks targeted infrastructure allegedly used for Iranian weapons transfers, causing power outages and raising concerns about humanitarian aid disruptions, as Hodeidah is a key entry point for food and supplies.
- December 19, 2024 – Strikes Following Houthi Missile Attack
- Event: Israel launched airstrikes on Houthi targets in Sanaa and Hodeidah, including ports, power plants, and oil facilities, killing at least nine people. The strikes followed a Houthi missile targeting central Israel, intercepted before entering Israeli airspace, and a separate overnight attack on Tel Aviv that damaged a school in Ramat Efal.
- Context: While not explicitly tied to an airport strike, the Houthi missile launches were part of a week of near-nightly attacks, escalating tensions. The Israeli military described the strikes as a planned response to months of Houthi aggression, not solely the missile interception.
- Impact: The strikes hit critical infrastructure, with Al Masirah reporting power cuts affecting thousands in Sanaa. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree vowed retaliation, claiming the attacks would not deter their support for Gaza.
- September 29, 2024 – Strikes After Houthi Missile Near Ben Gurion Airport
- Event: Israel conducted airstrikes on Hodeidah and Ras Issa ports, targeting oil facilities, power plants, and docks, killing at least four people and wounding 29, per the Houthi-run Health Ministry. The operation involved dozens of Israeli aircraft, including F-15s and F-35s, striking 1,800 km from Israel.
- Context: The strikes were a direct response to a Houthi ballistic missile attack on September 28, 2024, targeting Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, timed to coincide with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s return from New York. The missile was intercepted, but shrapnel sparked a fire near Tzur Hadassah. The Houthis claimed the attack was in retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
- Impact: The strikes caused power outages in Hodeidah and raised fears of fuel shortages, with Yemeni civilians bearing the brunt of disrupted access to necessities. Houthi media condemned the attack as targeting “public facilities.”
- July 20, 2024 – First Major Strike on Hodeidah
- Event: Israeli jets struck Hodeidah’s port, targeting oil storage, a power plant, and cranes, killing six civilians and injuring 87, many with severe burns, per Yemen’s Health Ministry. The attack sparked massive fires visible across the region.
- Context: This was Israel’s first claimed strike on Yemen, in retaliation for a Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv on July 19, 2024, that killed one civilian and injured 10. The drone, a new “Yafa” model, evaded Israeli defenses due to human error.
- Impact: The strikes damaged critical infrastructure, with Human Rights Watch labeling them a possible war crime due to their impact on civilians and humanitarian aid flows through Hodeidah. The port’s role in food and aid imports heightened concerns about Yemen’s already dire humanitarian crisis.
Analysis and Current Sentiment
The pattern of Israeli strikes on Hodeidah—July, September, December 2024, and January 2025—shows a consistent response to Houthi attacks, particularly those targeting Tel Aviv or Ben Gurion Airport. The Houthis, an Iran-backed militia controlling much of western Yemen, have launched over 220 ballistic missiles, drones, and cruise missiles at Israel since October 2023, often citing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Most attacks targeted Eilat or were intercepted, but successful strikes, like the July 2024 Tel Aviv drone, prompted escalatory Israeli responses.
Posts on X from 2024 reflect polarized sentiments. Supporters of Israel, like @EylonALevy, praised the strikes as a necessary response to Houthi aggression after months of restraint. Critics, including @AJEnglish and @Kahlissee, condemned the attacks as disproportionate, highlighting civilian suffering and Hodeidah’s role in aid delivery. The January 2025 strikes, though less covered in available sources, align with this cycle, with Netanyahu’s rhetoric signaling an ongoing campaign against the Houthis as part of Iran’s “axis of evil.”
Why No Specific 2025 Airport Strike Match?
The absence of a confirmed Houthi airport strike immediately preceding a 2025 Hodeidah bombing could be due to:
- Incomplete Information: The sources available do not cover a specific Houthi airport attack in early May 2025 or a corresponding Israeli strike on Hodeidah the next day. News cycles may lag, or the event may involve unverified claims.
- Similar Events: The September 28, 2024, Houthi missile attack on Ben Gurion Airport, followed by the September 29 Hodeidah strikes, closely resembles the described scenario, suggesting a possible conflation of dates.
- Ongoing Conflict: Houthi missile and drone attacks on Israel, often targeting Tel Aviv or Eilat, have been near-weekly, with Israel responding to clusters of incidents rather than single events.
Humanitarian and Regional Concerns
Hodeidah’s port is a lifeline for Yemen, handling 70% of the country’s food and aid imports. Repeated strikes have damaged oil tanks, cranes, and power infrastructure, exacerbating Yemen’s humanitarian crisis, where millions face hunger after a decade of war. Human Rights Watch criticized the July 2024 strikes as potentially unlawful, citing disproportionate civilian harm. Yemeni civilians, like those interviewed by Al Jazeera in July 2024, reported fuel shortages and power outages, with fears of worsening conditions after each attack.
The strikes also risk broader escalation. The Houthis have vowed retaliation, with their Supreme Political Council promising an “effective response” after each major Israeli attack. Hezbollah, another Iran-backed group, warned in July 2024 that such strikes mark a “dangerous phase” in regional conflict. The U.S. and UK, while not involved in Israel’s strikes, have conducted their own against Houthi targets, further complicating the regional dynamic.
Conclusion
While I couldn’t confirm an Israeli strike on Hodeidah Port in 2025 directly tied to a Houthi airport attack the previous day, the January 10, 2025, strikes on Hodeidah and other sites follow a Houthi pattern of missile and drone attacks on Israel. The September 2024 incident, where a Houthi missile targeted Ben Gurion Airport and Israel struck Hodeidah the next day, is the closest match to your query. These events reflect an ongoing cycle of retaliation, with significant humanitarian and regional implications. For the latest updates, checking sources like Reuters or Al Jazeera may provide clarity on any May 2025 incidents.