Israel Launches Airstrikes on Yemen’s Sanaa Airport Following Warning, Escalating Response to Houthi Attacks

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched airstrikes Tuesday on Sanaa International Airport in Yemen, marking the seventh Israeli strike on Houthi targets since July 2024. In a rare move, the IDF issued an evacuation warning ahead of the strike, urging civilians to flee the area—its first such notice in operations targeting the Iranian-backed Houthi regime.

“We call upon you to evacuate the airport area immediately and warn everyone in your vicinity of the need to evacuate this area immediately,” IDF Arabic-language spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee posted on X. “Failure to evacuate and move away from the area exposes you to danger,” he added.

The warning came just minutes before Israeli fighter jets struck the airport, located north of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. Explosions were reported in the area, along with strikes on additional sites, including the Dhabhan Central Power Station in southeast Sanaa and the Amran cement factory to the south, according to Houthi-run Al Masirah TV.

Israeli officials said the decision to issue a warning stemmed from the nature of the target—a major civilian airport—as opposed to previous strikes on infrastructure such as the Port of Hodeidah and military factories, which did not receive advance notice.

The strike follows Sunday’s ballistic missile attack on Ben Gurion Airport, which wounded several civilians and prompted a joint retaliatory strike by Israeli and U.S. forces on Monday. That response involved approximately 20 fighter jets and 50 munitions dropped on Houthi targets. The IDF confirmed it had hit key assets in and around Hodeidah, including a concrete factory and the port itself.

“The Hodeidah seaport is used to transfer Iranian weapons, equipment for military needs, and other terrorist needs,” the IDF said. It added that the Bajil concrete factory “serves as an important economic resource for the Houthi terrorist regime and is used to build tunnels and military infrastructure.”

A senior Israeli defense source explained the broader campaign: “The Houthi terrorist regime has been operating for the past year and a half under Iranian direction and funding in order to harm Israel and its allies, undermine the regional order, and disrupt global freedom of navigation.”

“The IDF is determined to continue to act and strike forcefully at anyone who poses a threat to the residents and citizens of the State of Israel, and at whatever distance is required,” the military said.

Tuesday’s action signals a growing Israeli resolve to confront Iran’s regional proxies directly and publicly.

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