Israel Launches Strikes on Houthi Targets in Yemen After Tel Aviv Airport Hit

Israel carried out airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen late Monday, marking its first such operation in months, following a ballistic missile attack on Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport by the Iran-backed Houthi movement the previous day.

AP Photo

The Israeli response comes amid heightened regional tensions and growing concerns over the Houthis’ expanding missile capabilities.

On Sunday morning, a Houthi hypersonic ballistic missile struck near the main terminal of Ben Gurion Airport, leaving a large crater, damaging a road and a vehicle, and injuring at least eight people.

Despite several attempts by Israel’s advanced air defense systems-including the U.S.-supplied THAAD and the domestically developed Arrow system-the missile was not intercepted, exposing vulnerabilities in Israel’s missile shield.

The attack briefly halted all air, road, and rail traffic at the airport, and led several major international airlines to suspend flights to Israel for several days.

The Houthis, who have repeatedly targeted Israel and Red Sea shipping since the onset of the Gaza conflict, declared their intention to impose a “comprehensive air blockade” on Israel by persistently striking its airports, especially Ben Gurion.

They called on international airlines to avoid Israeli airspace, further disrupting travel and raising the stakes for regional security.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his security cabinet in response to the attack and vowed a forceful retaliation “at a time and place of our choosing.”

In a public address, Netanyahu emphasized that Houthi actions are directed by Iran and warned that Israel would not tolerate such threats. Defense Minister Israel Katz echoed this resolve, promising a response “seven times more powerful” than the original attack.

On Monday night, Israeli fighter jets targeted sites in Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah, according to Israeli officials and Houthi-affiliated media.

The strikes were coordinated with U.S. operations in the region, as Washington has also intensified its campaign against Houthi positions in recent months.

The U.S. and Israel have both sought to curb Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which have disrupted global trade and threatened maritime security.

The missile strike on Ben Gurion Airport is the first to successfully reach so close to Israel’s main international gateway, signaling a potential escalation in the Houthis’ operational reach and technological sophistication.

Israeli military analysts have called for a thorough investigation into the interception failure and warned of the need to adapt to evolving threats from Iran and its regional proxies.

As flights gradually resume and security measures are reassessed, the latest exchange underscores the widening scope of the Middle East conflict and the persistent risk posed by the Houthi movement’s missile arsenal.

Both Israel and the U.S. have signaled their intent to continue targeting Houthi infrastructure in Yemen, warning of further action if attacks persist.