Israeli airstrikes hit Sana’a airport again as Netanyahu warns Houthis, blames Iran

In the early hours of Wednesday, May 28, 2025, Israeli airstrikes targeted Yemen’s Sana’a International Airport, marking the second attack on the facility this month. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the latest strike focused on infrastructure and an aircraft linked to the Iran-aligned Houthi movement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu justified the action, stating that further attacks may follow in response to threats originating from Yemen and supported by Iran.

The Prime Minister, speaking through a statement posted by his office on X (formerly Twitter), declared, “We work according to a simple rule: Whoever harms us, we harm them. Whoever does not understand this with force, will now understand it with greater force.” He asserted that the Houthis were only a proxy and described Iran as the principal orchestrator behind escalating hostilities against Israel.

This latest strike comes amid persistent tension between Israel and the Houthis, who have continued to launch drones and missiles toward Israeli territory. These attacks have intensified since October 7, 2023, following the surprise offensive by Hamas against Israel, an event that has had cascading effects across multiple regional fault lines. In the aftermath, the Houthis declared solidarity with Hamas and initiated long-range projectile attacks aimed at Israel, prompting periodic military responses.

What Happened at Sana’a International Airport?

The Israeli military confirmed that the strike hit what it described as a “central airport” facility in Sana’a and destroyed an aircraft “belonging to the Houthi terrorist organization.” According to the IDF, the targeted plane had been used to transport personnel affiliated with operations against the State of Israel. Officials indicated that the strike was part of a broader strategy to deter ongoing aerial assaults launched from Houthi-controlled Yemen.

In a formal statement, the IDF emphasized its readiness to act at any range necessary to eliminate threats. “The IDF is determined to continue to act and strike with force anyone who poses a threat to the residents of the State of Israel,” the statement read.

The destruction reportedly occurred just moments before scheduled boarding for a Yemenia Airways flight. The airline issued a public condemnation shortly after the incident, calling the attack a “cowardly terrorist act” and noting that all necessary flight and airport permissions had been granted by the relevant authorities.

Yemenia Airways further announced an immediate, indefinite suspension of all operations from Sana’a International Airport. It stated that the targeted aircraft was civilian in nature and had no involvement in the ongoing conflict. The airline lamented the strike’s impact on Yemeni civilians, particularly the pilgrims scheduled to travel, and reiterated its commitment to neutrality in the broader geopolitical struggle.

Why Has Israel Intensified Its Strikes on Yemen?

This latest military escalation reflects Israel’s increasingly proactive stance in curbing threats emanating from beyond its immediate borders. The ongoing threat posed by the Houthis has taken on strategic significance due to their alignment with Iran, which the Israeli government accuses of coordinating attacks through proxy groups across the region, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and various militias in Iraq and Syria.

Since the October 2023 Hamas offensive, Israel has faced multi-front hostilities. While the war in Gaza continues, attention has expanded to potential flashpoints like the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Houthi drone and missile launches toward Israel have served as a disruptive factor, drawing Israel’s focus to Yemen — a theater that, until recently, was primarily viewed through a humanitarian and diplomatic lens.

Wednesday’s strike is not Israel’s first on Sana’a’s airport. The IDF previously conducted similar operations in December 2024 and again earlier in May 2025, each time citing the use of the facility by Houthi forces for military logistics and cross-border attacks.

What Has Been the Houthi Response So Far?

While the Houthis have not officially responded to the latest strike, their recent actions signal no intent to scale down attacks on Israel. Although the group entered into an arrangement last month to halt strikes on U.S. commercial vessels in exchange for a pause in U.S. airstrikes — a policy shift under President Donald Trump’s administration — that agreement explicitly did not extend to their operations against Israel.

Since that limited truce, the Houthis have launched multiple drones and ballistic missiles at Israeli territory, triggering a mix of interception responses and preemptive counterstrikes by the IDF. The latest confrontation over the airport suggests that Israel is recalibrating its strategy to directly target infrastructure and mobility assets that enable Houthi offensive capabilities.

What Are the Broader Implications for Civilian Air Travel in Yemen?

With the destruction of a Yemenia Airlines aircraft and the suspension of flights, the civilian population in northern Yemen faces heightened travel restrictions. Sana’a International Airport is one of the few remaining functioning transit hubs in Houthi-held territory, and its repeated targeting exacerbates a broader humanitarian crisis already intensified by years of war, blockade, and infrastructure degradation.

Yemenia Airlines, which has sought to remain operationally neutral during the conflict, reiterated in its statement that the attack jeopardized the safety of civilians and highlighted the lack of discrimination in targeting. The airline’s decision to suspend operations further constrains humanitarian logistics, complicating medical evacuations and the delivery of international aid.

How Is the International Community Reacting?

As of this report, there has been no formal statement from the United Nations or major international bodies on the May 28 strike. However, humanitarian observers and aviation safety analysts are likely to raise concerns about the targeting of civilian aviation infrastructure. The strike may also reignite diplomatic tensions, particularly among countries involved in Yemen’s stalled peace process or engaged in Red Sea naval patrols.

Western officials have previously walked a delicate line between condemning Iran-backed Houthi aggression and urging Israeli restraint. With airstrikes now targeting an operational airport and affecting non-combatant services like Yemenia Airways, renewed scrutiny over Israel’s rules of engagement and proportionality may follow in international fora.

What Comes Next in the Israel–Houthi Confrontation?

The trajectory of Israel’s military strategy in Yemen appears increasingly linked to its broader objective of countering Iranian influence in the region. By directly striking infrastructure associated with Houthi mobility, Israel signals a willingness to expand its operational reach, even at the risk of international backlash.

The suspension of Yemenia’s operations from Sana’a, the destruction of civilian assets, and the continuation of drone launches from Yemen suggest that the cycle of retaliation is unlikely to ease in the near term. The conflict remains entangled in a wider geopolitical chessboard involving Iran, Saudi Arabia, the U.S., and Gulf actors — with each confrontation escalating not just in tactical terms, but also in symbolic significance.

Observers now wait to see whether Israel will take further steps to neutralize perceived threats from the Houthi front or whether international diplomacy will intervene to prevent further deterioration in an already volatile region.