Israel Airstrikes Yemen Airport Targeting Houthi... Netanyahu Says "Just Getting Started"

EPA Yonhap News

On the 26th (local time), the Israeli military conducted airstrikes targeting the Iran-aligned Yemeni Houthi rebels, striking areas including the airport in Yemen's capital, Sana'a.

The Israeli military stated that, with the approval of the Prime Minister and Defense Minister, they bombed Sana'a's airport and power facilities, as well as military infrastructure along the western coast such as Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Kanatib using fighter jets. The Israeli military claimed, "The Houthi terrorist regime smuggled Iranian weapons and allowed high-ranking Iranian officials to enter through these facilities. This is another case of civilian facilities being used for military purposes."

Al Masirah TV, operated by the Houthis, reported that the airstrikes killed four people in total?three at Sana'a airport and one in the Hodeidah area?injured 16, and left three missing. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video message from the Air Force command center immediately after the airstrikes, stating, "We have decided to cut off the Iran Axis of Evil terrorist organization. We will continue until the mission is complete."

At the time of the airstrikes, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), was preparing to board a UN aircraft at Sana'a airport. He wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "One of our flight crew members was injured," adding, "The control tower, departure lounge, and runway just a few meters from where we were were damaged." He also noted that he was visiting Yemen to negotiate the release of detained UN staff.

Iran condemned the attack in a statement by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, calling it "a clear violation of international peace and security and a crime against the Yemeni people."

Since the outbreak of the war between Palestinian Hamas and Israel in October last year, the Houthis have attacked vessels passing through the Red Sea under the pretext of supporting Hamas. This has caused companies to change international shipping routes, leading to a sharp rise in maritime freight rates.

Israel has maintained a temporary ceasefire with the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and is negotiating a ceasefire and hostage release with Hamas, while continuing armed conflict with the Houthis. On this day, Prime Minister Netanyahu told local media Channel 14, "Israel has just begun operations against the Houthis."

On the 19th of this month, the Israeli military also conducted airstrikes on three western ports?Hodeidah, Ras Isa, and Salif?and two power plants in Sana'a, killing nine people. On the 21st, after the Houthis fired missiles at Tel Aviv, Israel, injuring 16 residents, the U.S. military retaliated with airstrikes on Houthi military facilities.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.