TEL AVIV — The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted a series of targeted airstrikes in Yemen on critical Houthi terror infrastructure, responding directly to a missile launched by the Iranian-backed group toward Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport. The operation, approved by both the Israeli Air Force Commander and Chief of Staff, underscores Israel’s commitment to defending its population and maintaining regional stability amid an escalating multi-front conflict driven by Iran’s regional ambitions and terror proxies.
Israeli military officials reported that the strikes, which took place within less than twenty-four hours of a previous operation, focused on the primary Houthi-controlled airport near Sana’a and rendered it fully inoperable. This facility, like the Hodeidah port targeted the night before, had been repurposed by the Houthis as a hub for smuggling weapons and personnel, with both locations serving logistics vital to their ongoing campaign against Israel and regional commerce.
The most recent round of strikes also targeted central power stations in Sana’a. Intelligence assessments revealed these installations were exploited by the Houthis for electrical supply critical to their governance and military build-up. In addition, the Al-Amran cement factory, situated north of Sana’a, was struck due to its pivotal role in supporting the group’s tunnel and military infrastructure, delivering a significant setback to the Houthi regime’s economic and military resilience.
Israel emphasized that all actions were carefully calibrated to minimize risk to Yemeni civilians and their property—a strategy in stark contrast to the Houthi regime’s consistent use of civilian resources and infrastructure for military purposes. The IDF highlighted the recurring pattern of the Houthis embedding operational activity within civilian domains, a tactic categorically condemned by international law and regarded by defense officials as endangering Yemen’s population and perpetuating humanitarian distress.
The missile attack on Ben Gurion Airport—which did not result in casualties but forced precautionary suspension of air traffic—marked a significant escalation and displayed growing Houthi willingness to extend Iranian-directed hostilities beyond Yemen’s borders. Israeli intelligence continues to document direct Iranian funding, training, and supply lines to the Houthi leadership in Sana’a as part of Tehran’s broader ‘Axis of Resistance.’ This network also includes Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and other militias operating throughout the region, all unified by the shared aim of destabilizing Israel and undermining regional order.
Since the fall of large sections of Yemen to Houthi control amid civil war in 2014, the group has transformed key assets, including airports and ports, into platforms for regional terror. Their weaponization of civilian sites, coupled with a pattern of indiscriminate attacks on maritime and aerial targets, directly threatens not only Israeli security but international shipping lanes and civilian air routes. Western officials and security analysts have warned that these tactics risk drawing the region into a broader conflict, heightening risks for both global commerce and stability.
The precision and discipline displayed in Israel’s military response demonstrate the effectiveness of its intelligence capacity and commitment to lawful conduct in armed conflict. The targeted disabling of Houthi assets was achieved without significant collateral damage, further distinguishing Israel’s operations from those of Iran’s terror proxies, which routinely target civilians across the region.
International reactions have largely recognized Israel’s right to self-defense in the wake of the attempted missile strike on its main airport. At the same time, the United States and European partners have called for efforts to prevent broader regional escalation, highlighting the need for concerted action against Iran’s destabilizing network of proxies.
Yemen’s entanglement in the broader regional conflict serves as a microcosm of the wider struggle: Iranian-backed forces, including the Houthis, Hamas, and Hezbollah, challenge order and stability through attacks on Israel, U.S. interests, and vital global maritime routes. Israeli defense officials have reiterated, both privately and publicly, that further military action against terror infrastructure will continue so long as threats persist.
The October 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacre in southern Israel—the most deadly antisemitic atrocity since the Holocaust—has underscored the stakes of failing to confront terrorism at its source. With hostilities increasingly crossing borders and drawing in new actors, Israeli leaders have called upon the international community to hold the Iranian regime accountable and to support coordinated campaign against its proxies.
In conclusion, Israel’s recent operations in Yemen are a critical component of its strategy to deter Iranian aggression, neutralize the operational capabilities of Iranian-backed terror groups, and safeguard both its own population and regional stability. As Iran intensifies its campaign to surround Israel with a network of militant proxies, Israel has signaled determination to respond decisively and lawfully to any act of aggression, regardless of where it originates.
