Tensions in the Middle East escalated sharply this week as Israel launched air strikes on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, destroying its main airport in response to a Houthi missile attack near Tel Aviv. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the operation “fully disabled” the airport, which is under the control of the Iran-backed Houthi movement.
Tuesday’s air strikes, which followed attacks on the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah the previous day, targeted runways, aircraft, the departures hall, a military air base, and critical infrastructure. Three civilian planes belonging to Yemenia Airlines were destroyed. A local official told AFP the airport had been “completely destroyed,” and the Houthis confirmed at least three people were killed.
The strikes came two days after the Houthis launched a missile that landed near Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel, injuring six people and briefly halting operations. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that anyone targeting Israel would be held “accountable,” stating, “Whoever attacks Israel bears responsibility for his own blood.”
In addition to the airport, Israeli warplanes struck power stations and the al-Imran cement factory in Sanaa. Monday’s strike on Hudaydah a key Red Sea port handling 80% of Yemen’s food imports also targeted a separate cement facility. According to the Houthis, four people were killed and 35 wounded in that attack.
Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a senior Houthi official, condemned the strikes as “failed terrorism” and pledged retaliation. “Support for Gaza continues, the response is coming, and Netanyahu must prepare his resignation,” he told a Houthi-linked television station.
The IDF justified its actions by alleging the Houthis were using Sanaa airport to move weapons and operatives. While the Houthis blamed both Israel and the United States for the attacks, a U.S. defense official denied any American involvement.
In the aftermath, the Houthis threatened a “comprehensive aerial blockade” on Israel, targeting airports in retaliation for Israeli military operations in Gaza. As tensions rise, the region braces for possible further escalation.
