Tel Aviv: Houthi drone attacks on Sunday disrupted operations at an Israeli airport, halting flights for approximately two hours and forcing the diversion of several aircraft. The Israeli army reported that three drones launched by the Houthis were destroyed before entering Israeli territory, though one drone evaded interception, prompting an ongoing investigation.
The strikes triggered sirens across southern Israel, sending residents to seek shelter in safe zones. The attacks follow recent Israeli air raids on Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, which killed Houthi government Prime Minister Ahmad al-Rahawi, leading to heightened tensions and retaliatory actions by the Houthis.
Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Houthis have supported Palestinian forces and targeted Israeli commercial vessels in the Red Sea. Israel has responded with counterattacks targeting Houthi positions and affiliated entities. Following the drone strikes, airport operations resumed later on Sunday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that military operations in Gaza are ongoing, with the primary objective of neutralizing Hamas. He noted that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians had evacuated in anticipation of the operations. Sunday morning airstrikes on Gaza reportedly killed 13 people.