Israeli Airstrikes on Yemeni Capital During Houthi Leader’s Speech: What’s Known So Far

A Yemeni government source told Sputnik the strikes targeted the international airport in Sanaa and the al-Daylami airbase, and that additional attacks had been carried out in Hodeidah province.

The first source said the aerial attack took place amid Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi’s weekly speech.

Houthi-aligned media said the attacks on Sanaa and Hodeidah targeted civilian infrastructure, and were coordinated and supported by the US and Britain. The attacks disrupted the operation of Sanaa’s international airport, destroying the control tower and several facilities, reports indicate.

The strikes come days after a series of threats by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz to step up attacks on Yemen.

On Tuesday, Katz warned that “just as we dealt with Sinwar in Gaza, Haniyeh in Tehran and Nasrallah in Beirut, we will also deal with the heads of the Houthis in Sanaa and everywhere in Yemen.”

Israel’s bellicose statements come amid growing Houthi ballistic missile attacks on Israel – which have become increasingly effective in recent weeks in evading Israeli air defenses.

The Houthis launched a missile and drone campaign targeting Israel, and another operation in the Red and Arabian Sea targeting Israeli and Israel-linked merchant shipping, in the fall of 2023 in solidarity with Gaza amid the Israeli offensive. The Houthi campaign has cost Israel billions of dollars in lost income, and forced the US and its allies to tie up considerable military resources in the region to try to halt the Houthi campaign, so far unsuccessfully.