Israel strikes Yemen after Houthi missile attack

According to The National, Israel launched a series of air strikes on Yemen on 28th May, one day after Houthi militants fired multiple missiles toward Israeli territory, escalating tensions in a conflict that has increasingly drawn in regional actors.

Plumes of thick smoke were seen rising over Sanaa’s skyline as a plane – reportedly operated by Yemenia Airways – was engulfed in flames on the runway. Debris from the destroyed aircraft was strewn across the tarmac. The airport had only recently reopened, resuming operations roughly two weeks prior following a temporary shutdown caused by a previous Israeli airstrike.

Bombs targeted Sanaa International Airport and a passenger aircraft, marking a stark warning from Israeli officials. “A clear message … whoever fires at the State of Israel will pay a heavy price,” Israel’s Defence Ministry said following the attack.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant described the operation as a decisive blow. “The raid destroyed the last remaining plane used by the Houthis,” he stated. “The airport in Sanaa will be destroyed again and again, as will other strategic infrastructure in the region used by the Houthi terrorist organisation and its supporters.”

Israel has been carrying out intensified air campaigns across Yemen for several months, focusing on disabling key Houthi infrastructure, including ports, airports, and industrial facilities. A parallel U.S. military campaign against the group has recently concluded, though it had similar objectives aimed at curbing Houthi capabilities.

Despite mounting military pressure, the Houthis have persisted in launching attacks toward Israel during the ongoing Gaza War, which they say is an act of solidarity with the Palestinian cause. The group has also targeted international commercial shipping lanes in the Red Sea, further raising alarm about the broader implications of the conflict.

In Israel, missile threats from Yemen have routinely triggered nationwide air raid sirens and forced residents into shelters, severely disrupting both civilian life and air travel. Airlines have faced regular delays and diversions due to the escalating security situation.

Following the strikes on 28th May, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s stance on deterrence: “Israel operates according to a simple principle: whoever harms us, we will harm him.”

“Whoever does not understand this with force, will understand this with more force,” the statement continued. “But as I have said many times, the Houthis are just the symptom. The main force behind them is Iran.”

The latest developments underscore the risk of a broader regional conflict as tensions surge across multiple fronts in the Middle East.

The National/ Maghrebi.org