Houthis threaten 'aerial blockade' of Israel's main airport after missile strike

Threat puts pressure on airlines as Netanyahu calls up thousands of reservists for Gaza operations

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The Houthi rebels on Monday blamed the US for new strikes on Yemen, after the Iran-backed group announced it would impose a “comprehensive aerial blockade” on Israel by repeatedly attacking its airports.

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis claimed responsibility for the missile strike near Israel's Ben Gurion Airport. The rebels say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

The Houthis said they would “work to impose a comprehensive air blockade on the Israeli enemy by repeatedly targeting airports”, particularly its main airport, south-east of Tel Aviv.

They “call upon all international airlines to take into consideration the contents of this statement from the moment of its announcement and published, and to cancel all scheduled flights”, the statement added.

On Monday, the Houthi-run Saba news agency said there had been strikes in and around the capital Sanaa, blaming them on “American aggression”. The Health Ministry said 14 people were injured, according to Saba. There was no comment from the US.

Houthi military spokesman Brig Gen Yahya Saree delivers a televised statement from Yemen's capital Sanaa, after a missile attack by the rebels on Israel's Ben Gurion Airport. EPA

The strikes come after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to respond to the Houthis, as well as to their Iranian backers. In a video published on Telegram, Mr Netanyahu said Israel had “acted against” the Iran-backed rebels in the past and “will act in the future”.

“It will not happen in one bang, but there will be many bangs,” he added, without elaborating. Later on X, Mr Netanyahu said Israel would also respond to Iran at “a time and place of our choosing”.

Israeli security forces inspect the site where the military said a Houthi missile landed, close to Ben Gurion airport. AP

At least eight people were injured in the strike near the airport, prompting several airlines to cancel flights over the next few days.

Most attacks from Yemen have been intercepted by Israel's missile defence systems, though a drone strike hit Tel Aviv last year. Sunday's missile was the only one of a series of projectiles launched since March that was not intercepted.

The Israeli military concluded an assessment and blamed a technical issue with the interceptor launched towards the missile.

The Houthis have been launching missiles at Israel since the start of the Gaza war, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians. Sunday's attack came hours before a meeting of the Israeli security cabinet, approving the expansion of the war in the enclave.

The US has been carrying out an intensified bombing campaign against the Houthis in the past month in an attempt to stop the rebels from attacking international shipping in the Red Sea.