Illustrative image.
The announcement came just hours after a “hypertonic ballast missile” launched by the Houthis hit Ben Gurion Airport. The missile bypassed Israel’s entire air defense array, in addition to a United States-operated Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery, before hitting the airport, the largest in Israel. Six people were reportedly wounded.
The attack was the 27th by the Houthis since Israel renewed its offensive in the Gaza Strip on March 18. All previous missiles fell short, or were intercepted.
In a statement, Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree said that the group will repeatedly target Israeli airports, including Ben Gurion, to enforce the blockade.
“We call on all international airlines to take into consideration the contents of this statement from the moment it was announced and published, and to cancel all flights to the airports of the criminal enemy, to preserve the safety of their aircraft and customers,” the spokesman said.
“Dear, free, and independent Yemen will not accept the continuation of the state of violation that the enemy is trying to impose by targeting Arab countries such as Lebanon and Syria. It affirms that this nation will not fear confrontation and will refuse submission and subservience,” he added, referring to recent Israeli strikes on other Arab countries.
The Houthis’ Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center, a body set up last year to liaise between Houthi forces and commercial shipping operators, also issued the warning about targeting Israeli airports, saying Ben Gurion Airport would be the top target.
The statement attached an email it said was sent to the International Air Transport Association, the global airlines body, and the United Nations’ International Civil Aviation Organization.
Prime Minister Prime Minister Benjamin vowed after the missile attack that Israel will respond against the Houthis, as well as against Iran, the main backer of the group.
“Attacks by the Houthis emanate from Iran. Israel will respond to the Houthi attack against our main airport AND, at a time and place of our choosing, to their Iranian terror masters,” Netanyahu wrote on the X social network, attaching a March 17 post by United States President Donald Trump with a warning to Iran that Washington will retaliate to Houthi attacks by addressing Tehran directly.
The U.S. military resumed its strikes on Yemen on March 15 on orders from President Trump, who stated at the time that the large-scale operation was aimed to end attacks by Houthis on Israel-affiliated shipping in the Red Sea. The British military joined the operation last week.
More U.S. strikes hit Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen overnight. The Houthi-run Saba News Agency said that two of the strikes targeted the Arbaeen street in the capital, Sanaa, as well as one on the airport road. The Houthis’ health ministry also said that 14 people were wounded in the Sawan neighborhood of the capital.
The Houthis’ escalation didn’t deter Israel, who announced that it would expand its offensive in Gaza with the aim of completely defeating the Hamas Movement.
All in all, the Middle East will apparently witness a new confrontation in coming weeks, which could expand beyond Gaza and Yemen.
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world’s most immoral army attacked an unarmed aid ship for gaza..jews playing victim again while behaving like subhumans
fuck zionists!
gloria e poder a yemen!