Houthis claim strikes on southern Israeli airport and US aircraft carrier

Yemen’s Houthi rebel movement, known officially as Ansar Allah, has intensified its campaign against the US and Israel by claiming responsibility for drone and missile strikes on Israel’s Ramon Airport and the US aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea.

While these statements have gained widespread attention, especially in Arab media and across social networks, international and Western military sources have yet to independently verify these claims. What we are seeing is a layered conflict, not just militarily, but in the information space — a hybrid war of drones, missiles, and media narratives.

According to Siasatdaily Yahya Saree, the military spokesperson for the Houthis, announced that their forces had successfully carried out two distinct operations. The first, he said, involved launching drones at Israel’s Ramon Airport in the southern Negev near Eilat, disrupting operations and “sending a clear message” to Israel. The second, and far more sensational, involved ballistic missiles and drones targeting the US aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, which was reportedly stationed in the northern Red Sea.

The Houthis claimed this attack resulted in a US F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet being downed and plunging into the sea — a supposed demonstration of their ability to hit high-value naval assets, even those protected by advanced anti-aircraft systems like Aegis.

The movement said these actions were in retaliation for Israel’s continued bombardment of Gaza and what they see as the US’s full complicity in “Israeli war crimes.”

The Israeli military and government have not acknowledged any successful strike on Ramon Airport. There has been no official statement from Israel’s Civil Aviation Authority regarding any disruption or damage.

However, there were eyewitness reports and limited social media footage of flights being delayed or redirected near Eilat on the night of May 7–8, which may be circumstantial evidence of heightened threat perception or airspace closure — but it doesn’t amount to verification of a strike.

It’s worth noting that the Houthis have previously exaggerated claims or announced attacks that didn’t result in physical damage. Nonetheless, a verified Houthi missile strike on May 4 near Ben Gurion Airport did occur. That incident injured civilians and temporarily shut down operations. That successful strike establishes that the Houthis can reach Israeli airspace, adding weight to the possibility — though not proof — that Ramon Airport was indeed targeted.

On the American side, the Pentagon has confirmed that an F/A-18 Super Hornet crashed into the Red Sea while attempting to land on the USS Harry S. Truman around the same timeframe. However, the official reason given was “a mechanical failure related to arresting gear malfunction,” not enemy action.

Critically, this is not the first such incident. In the past two weeks alone, the Harry S. Truman has lost two aircraft in the Red Sea. These repeated mishaps have drawn scrutiny, particularly given the Houthis’ growing capability in the area and their use of Iranian-supplied drones and cruise missiles.

So, the timing of the crash and the location (northern Red Sea) do line up with the Houthi claim. Still, in the absence of radar logs, satellite imagery, or independent assessment, the theory that it was shot down remains speculative.