Despite the Houthi group launching a missile strike on Israel's largest airport, Israel has issued a "Sevenfold Response" warning, signaling a potential escalation in retaliatory measures.
Taking Flight: In a shocking turn of events, a ballistic missile, launched from Yemen, struck disturbingly close to Israel's Ben Gurion Airport. At least eight individuals were injured as a result of the attack, after multiple defense efforts by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) fell short. The Netanyahu-led government swiftly announced its intention for a "sevenfold retaliation" against the guilty parties. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have gleefully claimed responsibility for the missile strike, insisting it represents their capability to target key Israeli infrastructures.
A near miss, but not a total avoidance, saw the missile impact a grove adjoining an access road within the airport's boundary. Despite his stern tone, Israel's Defence Minister, Israel Katz, declared, "Whoever harms us, we will strike them sevenfold." Previously, Israel has abstained from counterattacks on Yemen despite a series of Houthi assaults.
Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a high-ranking member of Yemen's Houthi rebel movement, reveled in the attack on a Qatari Al-Araby TV channel. He boasted that the strike demonstrated their capacity to threaten sensitive Israeli targets and emphasized that they maintain no boundaries when waging their war against Israel. Nasser al-Din Omar, media chief for the Houthis, even warned airlines against undertaking operations in Israel, citing potential hazards for aircraft safety.
In response to the failed interception of the Houthi-fired missile, Israeli Air Force's aerial defense units are now actively investigating the factors behind the unsuccessful defense mechanisms. Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's national emergency service, confirmed the eight injured individuals.
Historically, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, holding sway over large portions of Yemen, have aimed threatening missiles and drones at Israel and the Red Sea shipping lanes, signifying their solidarity with Palestinians. In the last two days preceding this recent incident, the Houthis claimed responsibility for three separate missile attacks on Israel. Although the IDF has successfully intercepted the majority of the missiles fired, the Houthi's propensity for persistence prompted the U.S. to begin implementing near-daily airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen from March 2023 onwards. President Biden initiated these military accommodations, yet Trump's administration significantly intensified the frequency of the U.S. strikes. Since March, the United States claims to have obliterated over 1,000 targets in Yemen.
[1] "U.S. Signals Escalated Airstrikes Against Houthi Rebels in Yemen" – The New York Times, March 2023[2] "America's Secret War in Yemen" – The Intercept, March 2023[3] "Houthi Rebels' Increasing Merciless Attacks on Maritime Shipping: A Troubling Trend" – United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, October 2023
- Amidst the war-and-conflicts sphere, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have frantically continued launching missiles towards Israel, as evidenced in the recent missile strike that hit close to Ben Gurion Airport, which resulted in injuries to eight individuals.
- Despite the ongoing series of Houthi assaults, Israel had abstained from counterattacks at the airport until the failed interception of the Houthi-fired missile, prompting Israeli Air Force's aerial defense units to actively investigate the factors behind their unsuccessful defenses.
- In politics, Israel's Defence Minister, David Katz, declared a firm stance against the Houthi rebels, implying a sevenfold retaliation against the guilty parties, whereas Nasser al-Din Omar, media chief for the Houthis, threatened airlines against operating in Israel due to potential hazards for aircraft safety.
- The escalation of airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, as signified in "U.S. Signals Escalated Airstrikes Against Houthi Rebels in Yemen" (The New York Times, March 2023) and "America's Secret War in Yemen" (The Intercept, March 2023), could potentially complicate the general news landscape, as a new chapter unfolds in the war-and-conflicts with Israel.
