Israel launched a series of powerful airstrikes on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, on Tuesday, targeting key infrastructure including the main international airport.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said fighter jets “fully disabled” the airport in under 15 minutes, dismantling what it described as Houthi “terrorist infrastructure.”
The strikes mark a sharp escalation in hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed Houthi movement.
At least one person was killed and three others injured in the airport attack, according to the Houthi-run Ministry of Health. Power stations and a concrete plant were also struck.
This is the first time the IDF has issued an evacuation warning for Sanaa’s airport, located over 1,000 miles from Israel.
The strikes came in response to a Houthi ballistic missile that penetrated Israeli air defenses on Sunday and landed near Ben Gurion International Airport—marking the first successful hit on Israel’s main airport by the Houthis.
Houthi leader Mohammed al-Bukhaiti responded defiantly, warning Israel of further retaliation and threatening to impose an “air blockade” on Israeli airports. “We will meet escalation with escalation,” he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed further military action against the Houthis and their Iranian backers. “There will be hits,” he stated in a video address.
Earlier on Monday, Israel struck Yemen’s key port city of Hodeidah, targeting what it said were Iranian weapons transfers. At least one person was killed and 35 wounded, Yemeni officials said.
The exchange marks a dangerous widening of Israel’s conflict in the region, with Yemen now firmly in its crosshairs.
