New wave of US air strikes on Yemen leave 16 injured
The US has carried out further air strikes in Yemen in an attack that injured at least 16 people, reports the New Arab plus agencies. The attack on May 5th came a day after a Houthi missile landed near Israel’s Ben Gurion airport, wounding six.
Hours later after the Houthi attack, the group announced a “comprehensive aerial blockade” on Israel, urging airlines to cancel their flights. According to the statement, the airspace ban would be effective from May 4th, 2025, at 19:42 GMT and remain in place until further notice.
The Humanitarian Operations Coordination Centre (HOCC) in Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, maintained this was a “humanitarian and moral” measure. It stressed the need for “collective pressure” to halt the “genocide, starvation, and the siege” imposed on the Palestinian people.
In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on X that Israel would strike back “at a time and place of our choosing,” against the Houthis and their “Iranian terror masters.”
Houthi media outlets have now reported a new round of air strikes in Yemen, pointing to “American aggression,” and citing that the several strikes that took place in Sana’a reflect the US campaign to deter the Iranian-backed rebels from targeting shipping in the Red Sea.
Since the start of the war on Gaza in October 2023, the Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, have repeatedly launched missiles and drones attacking Israel, and Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea, in support of the Palestinian cause. Defending their vested interest in the region, US strikes on the Houthis began under former president Joe Biden but have intensified under Donald Trump.
Britain, which had recently joined the campaign, denied involvement, according to Sky News.
Iran has also denied involvement, calling the attack an “independent decision” by the Yemeni rebels taken in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Reacting to Netanyahu’s threats, the Islamic Republic warned it would retaliate to any attack against its territory. Responding to Netanyahu’s threats, the Iranian foreign minister has underlined Iran’s “firm determination… to defend itself” and that any attempts to undermine this would have “consequences.”
The New Arab plus agencies/Maghrebi
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