Yemen: Houthis threaten Israel with ‘hot summer’ after strikes on Sanaa airport

Yemen’s Houthi group yesterday reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Gaza Strip, seemingly undeterred by Israeli air strikes that targeted Sanaa International Airport, Anadolu agency reported

It warned Tel Aviv of a “hot summer” in retaliation for the attack.

The Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV said four Israeli air strikes targeted the airport’s runway and a plane from flag carrier Yemenia Airways.

“This criminal aggression will only push us further,” Mahdi Al-Mashat, head of the Houthi Supreme Political Council, who visited the site, told the Houthi-affiliated Saba news agency.

He vowed that the Houthis would not waver in their support for Gaza until Israel halts its offensive and lifts the blockade.

“You cannot protect Zionists from our missiles,” he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Al-Mashat also warned airlines still operating flights to Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport that they could be “at risk at any moment.”

A Houthi ballistic missile hit Tel Aviv airport on 4 May, prompting several international carriers to suspend flights to Israel.

READ: Ryanair extends suspension of flights to Tel Aviv until end of July

Al-Mashat added that Yemeni missiles can reach their targets, and shelters would not ensure the safety of Israelis. He described the Israeli strike on the Sanaa airport as a sign of Israeli frustration with Houthi attacks.

“The enemy’s bombing proves it is hurting from our strikes. The Zionists should brace for a hot summer,” he warned.

Yesterday’s strike marked Israel’s 10th attack on Yemen since Tel Aviv began its genocidal war against Gaza.

Previous targets included cement factories, power stations and seaports, with some sites being hit on several occasions.

Israeli media outlets have reported growing domestic criticism about the limited effect of the strikes, which have failed to deter the Houthis or halt their operations.

The Houthis announced on Tuesday that they had carried out 22 military operations targeting Israel since the beginning of May, calling it “the most painful month” for Tel Aviv, as reported in a video published by Al-Masirah.

The Houthis have intensified missile and drone strikes on Israel since Tel Aviv resumed military attacks on Gaza in March.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have also targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea in support of Palestinians in Gaza, where more than 54,000 victims have been killed in the Israeli offensive which the UN and rights groups have described as genocide.

READ: Houthis: May is ‘most painful’ month for Israel with 22 military operations