Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Announced It Will Also Impose An Air Blockade On Israel To Stand With Gaza
The announcement comes after the Houthis, an armed group that controls most parts of Yemen, launched a ballistic missile into Israel and struck near Ben Gurion Airport.
Yemen's Houthis have announced it is imposing an aerial blockade on Israel and repeatedly target its airports in response to Israel's genocide in Gaza.
The news comes after the Houthis, an armed group that controls most parts of Yemen, launched a ballistic missile into Israel on Sunday, May 4, and struck near Ben Gurion Airport, injuring eight people, according to paramedics, Al Jazeera reported.
It was the first time that Israel's defense system failed to intercept a missile from the Houthis since November 2023, when the group began launching missile and drone attacks towards Israel and on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea to stand with Palestinians in Gaza.
The Israeli military said there were "several attempts" to intercept the missile and that there will be a review of what happened.
The strike caused flights to be suspended for about 30 minutes at the airport near Tel Aviv.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu then vowed that the country would respond to the attack.
The Houthis, which is backed by Iran, then announced later on Sunday that it was imposing a "comprehensive" aerial blockade on Israel.
It called on international airlines to take its announcement into serious consideration and "cancel all their flights to the airports of the criminal Israeli enemy, in order to safeguard the safety of their aircraft and passengers," according to its statement.
On Monday, May 5, the Israeli military carried out airstrikes on Hodeidah port and a cement factory in Yemen, saying that the sites "central supply source for the Houthis", according to the BBC.
At least 21 people were injured by the Israeli strikes, according to the Houthis.
A US defense source told Al Jazeera that the US, which has been intensely bombing Yemen since March 15, "did not participate" in the Israeli strikes but did not deny providing nonlethal support.
On Tuesday, May 6, Israel then bombed the main airport in the capital, Sanaa, saying it had "fully disabled" the civilian facility as it was being used as a "central hub for the Houthi terrorist regime to transfer weapons and operatives."
The Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV said that the airstrike killed three people, Reuters reported.
In response, the Houthis said it would continue its operations against Israel, adding that "the support by Yemen to Palestine will only end with the end of the aggression and siege against Gaza."
Isha Jain
Isha Jain
Cherry Mohamed
