The Israeli military has confirmed it carried out a large-scale airstrike on Yemen’s main airport in Sanaa, claiming to have “fully disabled” the facility in response to a recent missile attack launched by the Houthi movement.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said Tuesday’s strike targeted runways, aircraft, and critical airport infrastructure, including the departures hall and a nearby military air base. According to airport officials cited by Reuters, three civilian planes were among the damaged assets. The Houthis, who control Sanaa, reported at least three fatalities and vowed retaliation.
The airstrike follows a Houthi missile attack on Sunday that landed near Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport outside Tel Aviv, briefly forcing it to shut down. While the missile caused no fatalities, six people were injured. The Houthis have since declared a “comprehensive aerial blockade” on Israel, threatening to strike additional airports in response to Israeli operations in Gaza.
Monday saw a related Israeli airstrike on the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah, a key gateway for humanitarian aid and commercial imports. The Houthis said that four people were killed and 35 injured in that attack. Israeli warplanes reportedly hit a cement factory and power infrastructure in the city. Israel previously targeted Hudaydah in January as part of broader military action against Houthi forces aligned with Iran.
In Sanaa, the IDF claimed it destroyed energy infrastructure and struck the al-Imran cement factory, which it described as linked to Houthi logistical support. The military alleges the Houthis were using Sanaa International Airport to facilitate the transfer of weapons and personnel.
“The Houthis’ aggression will not go unanswered,” the Israeli military said in a statement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reinforced this stance, warning, “We attacked in the past, we will attack in the future.”
The Houthis have accused both Israel and the United States of carrying out the attacks, though a U.S. defense official told AFP that American forces were not involved.
The latest escalation has intensified fears of a broader regional conflict. Yemen’s Hudaydah port is vital to the country’s food supply, handling 80% of its imports, and any disruption threatens to deepen the humanitarian crisis in the war-torn nation.
As both sides signal continued hostilities, international observers warn of growing instability in the Red Sea region amid already heightened tensions over the war in Gaza.
