Tensions escalate as Israel launches attack on Yemen’s Sanaa airport

Israel has confirmed it carried out airstrikes targeting Yemen’s main airport in the capital, Sanaa, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, following the launch of two projectiles towards Israeli territory by Houthi rebels a day earlier.

The strikes mark the latest escalation in a widening regional conflict linked to the ongoing war in Gaza.

According to Al Masirah TV, a media outlet affiliated with the Houthi movement, four airstrikes hit the runway of Sanaa International Airport.

Khaled al-Shaief, the airport’s general director, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the attacks completely destroyed the last remaining civilian aircraft operated by Yemenia Airways at the site.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced that the Israeli air force had targeted what he described as Houthi “terror targets” at the airport.

He confirmed that the airstrikes destroyed the final aircraft still operational at the airport.

“This is a clear message and a continuation of our policy: Whoever fires at the State of Israel will pay a heavy price,”

Gallant said, reiterating Israel’s commitment to respond forcefully to any threats.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also addressed the incident, warning that any attempt to harm Israel would provoke an even stronger response.

He emphasized that while the Houthis have been behind several recent attacks, the root cause lies in Iran, which he accused of orchestrating aggression from Yemen.

“The Houthis are only the symptom.

The main driving force behind them is Iran,” Netanyahu said, suggesting that Tehran is ultimately responsible for the ongoing hostilities.

The Israeli strike on Sanaa’s airport came just one day after Israel’s air defense systems intercepted two projectiles fired by the Houthi rebels.

The Houthis later acknowledged the attack, stating that they had launched two ballistic missiles toward Israel.

Sanaa International Airport, the largest airport in Yemen, had only recently resumed limited operations after undergoing temporary repairs and runway restoration.

These fixes followed previous Israeli strikes that had also targeted the site.

Prior to this latest attack, the airport had primarily been used by United Nations aircraft and was hosting the only surviving Yemenia Airways passenger plane—three others were destroyed in earlier attacks.

Since Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza in October 2023, the Houthi movement in Yemen has declared its support for the Palestinians and initiated several attacks on Israel as acts of solidarity.

These actions have included ballistic missile launches and threats against maritime operations linked to Israel.

Just last week, the Houthis issued a warning that they would impose a “naval blockade” on the Israeli port of Haifa if Israel continued to escalate its offensive in Gaza.

The threat was part of a broader campaign that has extended beyond missile attacks.

In November 2023, the Houthis began targeting commercial shipping vessels transiting the Red Sea, a move that drew a strong international response.

Beginning in January 2024, both the United States and the United Kingdom launched retaliatory airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen to deter further threats to maritime security in the region.

However, tensions between the U.S. and the Houthis appeared to ease earlier this month, when Washington reached a ceasefire agreement with the group.

This deal marked the end of several weeks of intense U.S.-led strikes on Houthi strongholds across Yemen.

Despite this truce with the U.S., the Houthis have continued their confrontational stance against Israel, citing what they view as moral and political solidarity with Palestinians suffering in Gaza.

Their military actions, though often intercepted, demonstrate a willingness to risk further escalation in a region already fraught with conflict.

The destruction of Sanaa International Airport’s last civilian aircraft now raises concerns over the further isolation of Yemen from international humanitarian channels.

The airport served as a crucial link for humanitarian aid and UN operations, especially as Yemen continues to grapple with years of civil war and humanitarian crisis.

This latest exchange highlights the broader geopolitical tensions at play, with Iran-backed groups like the Houthis becoming increasingly involved in the regional fallout from the war in Gaza.

As the situation intensifies, both regional and international actors remain on high alert for further escalations.

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