SANAA, May 6, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Yemen's Huthis on Tuesday said four people were killed and 39 wounded in Israeli air raids that followed a missile strike by the Iran-backed rebels on Israel's main airport.

The latest Israeli attacks on Huthi territory came as regional tensions soar anew over Israel's plan to expand operations in Gaza and displace much of its population.

"Three citizens were killed and 35 others wounded" at a cement factory in Bajil, while one person died and four were wounded at Hodeida port, the Huthis' Al-Masirah TV station said, quoting the health ministry.

The Huthis blamed both the United States and Israel for the attack, but while Israel confirmed it had carried out the strikes, an American official denied US involvement.

Monday's strikes came after a Huthi missile penetrated the perimeter of Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv for the first time, leaving a large crater.

The Huthis, who control swathes of Yemen, have launched missiles and drones targeting Israel and Red Sea shipping throughout the Gaza war, saying they act in solidarity with Palestinians.

Israel says it has targeted Yemen five times since July 2024, with Huthi authorities reporting a total of 29 people killed. Israel's army regularly intercepts missiles from Yemen.

The Israeli army said it hit Hodeida port because it was used for the transfer of Iranian weapons and equipment, while the cement factory was a "significant economic resource" for the rebels.

Earlier on Monday, Israel's security cabinet approved stepped-up military operations in Gaza, including the territory's "conquest".

The Huthis claimed responsibility for Sunday's "hypersonic ballistic missile" attack and threatened fresh missile strikes on Israel's airports.