Israeli fighter jets bombarded the main international airport in the Yemeni capital of Sana on Tuesday, the Israeli military said, two days after the Houthi militia in Yemen fired a ballistic missile that struck near Israel’s main airport.
The Israeli attack was the latest salvo in an ongoing battle with the Iran-backed Houthis, who rule Sana and much of northwestern Yemen. They have fired scores of rockets and drones at Israel in what they call a solidarity campaign with Palestinians to press for an end to the war in Gaza.
The scope of the damage to Sana’s international airport was not immediately clear. The travel hub connects more than 20 million Yemenis who live in Houthi-controlled territory to the rest of the world. .
Before the attack, the Israeli military had issued a call on social media threatening the airport and ordering everyone in the vicinity to evacuate.
On Sunday, a Houthi ballistic missile evaded Israel’s air defenses to strike close to Ben-Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv. Multiple airlines canceled flights in response to the strike — which wounded at least six people — and Israeli leaders vowed reprisals.
The following evening, Israeli fighter jets bombarded the port of Hudaydah in Houthi-controlled northwestern Yemen and a concrete factory east of the city. At least four people were killed and more than 30 wounded, according to the health ministry tied to the Houthi-led government.
Since striking Ben Gurion, the Houthis have declared an “air blockade” on Israel, saying that they will continue to target Israeli airports.
