Houthis Threaten Israeli Civilian Planes After Airstrike on Sanaa Airport
Iran-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen are threatening to expand their campaign against Israel by targeting civilian aircraft operated by El Al and other Israeli carriers, according to statements published Friday by Lebanon’s Al Akhbar newspaper. The warning follows an Israeli airstrike earlier this week on the Houthi-controlled Sanaa International Airport, after weeks of near-daily missile attacks launched from Yemen into Israeli territory.
In response to the attack, Houthi sources warned that upcoming operations would “differ in quantity and substance from the previous operations” and would now include Israeli civilian aircraft on their target list. The threat has heightened concern around air travel in and out of Israel.
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Several foreign airlines halted service to Ben Gurion International Airport earlier this month after a Houthi-fired ballistic missile struck within the airport grounds. As a result, most Israelis now rely on the national carrier El Al and smaller airlines Arkia and Israir for international flights.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the aircraft targeted in this week’s strike was the last remaining plane in Houthi hands, following the destruction of six others in a previous Israeli attack. The Houthis claimed the aircraft had been used for medical evacuations to Jordan.
It remains unclear whether the Houthis possess the capabilities to carry out such attacks. Earlier this month, a Houthi spokesperson told Newsweek that the group had acquired “new weapons” that could enforce what it called an “aerial blockade” on Israel.
