US, UK conduct airstrikes in western Yemen

The new airstrikes came less than 24 hours after the coalition carried out six airstrikes on the same airport, al-Masirah reported, without giving further details. The Houthis do not usually announce casualties in such attacks.

Local residents reported hearing a loud explosion at the airport. The coalition has not commented on the report, but said on May 22 that it had destroyed four Houthi drones in an area controlled by the group.

Hodeidah Airport is located in the southern part of the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, which is currently controlled by Houthi forces. The airport has been closed since late 2014 when the Houthis took over several cities in northern Yemen, including Hodeidah.

On the same day, May 23, speaking on al-Masirah channel, Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi announced that this week, the Houthis had conducted eight airstrikes using 15 missiles and drones targeting cargo ships in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean. So far, shipping companies have not reported any casualties or damage from the airstrikes.

Earlier in the day, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a missile had fallen into the sea near a cargo ship passing through the Red Sea, about 170 km south of the port city of Hodeidah. UKMTO has not received any reports of casualties or damage from the attack.

Since the Hamas-Israel conflict erupted in October 2023, the Houthis have repeatedly attacked ships in the Red Sea, raising concerns about shipping in this vital waterway. In response to the Houthi attacks, the US and the UK have launched a joint military campaign against Houthi targets in Yemen. The security instability in the Red Sea has forced many shipping lines to suspend cargo operations through the Red Sea and switch to the longer and more expensive route around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa.