Israel retaliates over increased Houthi missile attacks, strikes Sana’a airport and power stations

Israel launched fresh airstrikes against the Houthi capital of Sana’a on Thursday evening, striking the main airport along with several power stations after the Iranian-backed rebel group continued to launch attacks on Israel over the past week. 

Israel Defense Forces said the targets struck “military infrastructure used by the Houthi terrorist regime for its military activities in both the Sana’a International Airport and the Hezyaz and Ras Kanatib power stations.” 

The IDF also struck Houthi military infrastructure in the Al-Hudaydah, Salif, and Ras Kanatib ports on the western coast. 

The Houthi terror group in Yemen has repeatedly attacked Israel, using UAVs and surface-to-surface missiles since the start of the Gaza War. 

The IDF said the military targets were used by the Houthi rebels to smuggle Iranian weapons into the region and to secure the entry of senior Iranian officials. 

“The Houthi terrorist regime is a central part of the Iranian axis of terror, and their attacks on international shipping vessels and routes continue to destabilize the region and the wider world,” the military said. “The Houthi terrorist regime operates as an autonomous terrorist group while relying on Iranian cooperation and funding to carry out its attacks.” 

A Houthi spokesman said the Israeli strikes on the Sana’a International Airport and the port city of Hodeidah killed four people. 

According to a statement from the United Nations, a UN team was preparing to board a flight when the airport was struck. 

The Houthis have fired on Israel with ballistic missiles and drones four times over the past week.

On Dec. 19, a school building in Ramat Gan collapsed after being struck by a warhead from a Houthi missile, which led to an Israeli retaliatory strike. 

Thursday’s strike marks the fourth instance since July that Israeli Air Force (IAF) fighter jets have traveled over 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) to strike Houthi-controlled sites, and the second time in the past week.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to keep striking the Houthis until the attacks stop. 

“We are determined to cut off this terrorist arm of Iran’s evil axis. We will persist in this until we complete the task,” Netanyahu said. 

According to The Wall Street Journal, the Israeli strikes took place as Houthi militant leader Abdul Malik Al Houthi was speaking publicly about the group’s conflict with Israel. 

“Our operations against Israel are ongoing, effective and will not stop until the Israeli aggression stops,” he was reported as stating.

The Israeli military also expressed its willingness to continue strikes against the terror group, despite the long distance between them. 

“The IDF will not hesitate to operate at any distance against any threat to the State of Israel and its citizens,” the IDF spokesman said.