Israel struck Houthi targets in Yemen on Monday night, an Israeli security source said, one day after a ballistic missile struck Tel Aviv’s international airport.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had vowed to retaliate at a time and place of Israel’s choosing and promised Sunday that a powerful response would be coming.
These attacks mark the first Israeli strikes in Yemen in months.
The Israeli military made several attempts to intercept the ballistic missile on Sunday, but failed to bring it down, resulting in a successful attack on the heavily defended facility. The strike appeared to be the first time Israel’s international airport has been successfully targeted by the group.
On Sunday night, the Iran-backed rebel group said it would “impose a comprehensive air blockade” on Israel by “repeatedly targeting airports,” especially Ben Gurion. It called on international airlines to plan accordingly and cancel all scheduled flights to Israeli airports.
Netanyahu convened Israel’s security cabinet Sunday afternoon to discuss the incident.
“We acted before, we will act in the future too,” said Netanyahu in a video posted on social media. “I can’t elaborate on all of that. The US, in coordination with us, is also operating against them. It’s not ‘one and done,’” he said.
Israel has launched several rounds of strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, including the targeting of a power plant and maritime ports in January. The US military has carried out far more extensive strikes on targets in Yemen in recent months, aiming to weaken the group and disrupt Houthi attacks on US Navy ships and commercial vessels operating in the Middle East.
But the attacks have done little to stem the launch of Houthi projectiles at Israel or at US warships in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb, two of the world’s most strategically important waterways. The Houthis launched ballistic missiles at Israel over three consecutive days, culminating in the strike that hit the airport. Last week, a US F/A-18 fighter jet fell off an aircraft carrier in the Red Sea after the ship made a hard turn to evade a Houthi attack.
“The whole world is being challenged by the Houthis,” Netanyahu told Cypriot President Nikos Christodoudiles on Sunday. “We will not tolerate it. We will take very strong action against them. And we always remember that they act with their patron Iran’s direction and support.”
The Houthis warned on Sunday night that they could strike again and would “impose a comprehensive air blockade” on Israel by “repeatedly targeting airports,” especially Ben Gurion. It called on international airlines to plan accordingly and cancel all scheduled flights to Israeli airports.