Israel destroys Yemeni international airport following attack on Ben Gurion

Israeli warplanes strike Sana’a International Airport in Yemen’s Houthi-occupied capital city, destroying the passenger hall and other buildings, and bombs power station days after a Houthi missile exploded outside Israel’s largest airport.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Israeli warplanes on Tuesday afternoon bombed multiple targets in the Yemeni capital city of Sana’a, days after pro-Iranian rebel forces in Yemen launched a missile that exploded next to Israel’s largest air travel hub.

According to preliminary reports, IDF fighter jets struck the Dhaban power station, just outside of Sana’a, along a power distribution facility and a cement factory.

In addition, Israeli warplanes hit the Sana’a International Airport.

Multiple aircraft were destroyed in the strike, and the passenger hall and flight service areas were also hit.

At least two dozen hits have been reported in the Israeli airstrikes.

The attacks came shortly after the Israeli military warned Yemen of an impending attack on the Sana’a International Airport, calling for its evacuation.

IDF Col. Avichay Adraee, the Israeli military’s chief Arabic spokesperson, issued an “urgent warning to everyone in the vicinity of Sanaa International Airport: We urge you to evacuate the airport area immediately and to warn others nearby to do the same. Failure to do so endangers your lives.”

In a post to X, Adraee publicized a map of the targeted area around the airport.

The IDF confirmed Tuesday afternoon that Israel Air Force jets carried out strikes in Yemen, hitting the Sana’a airport, the Al-Amran cement factory – which Israel said was used by Houthi forces – and multiple power stations in and around Sana’a.

According to a statement by the Israeli military, the Sana’a International Airport suffered heavy damage “rendering it completely inoperable.”

“A short while ago, the Air Force attacked and destroyed infrastructure belonging to the Houthi terrorist organization at the main airport in the Sana’a area, rendering it completely inoperable. This action follows the Houthi terrorist organization’s rocket fire at Ben Gurion Airport.”

On Sunday, Houthi rebels launched a ballistic missile towards Israel which managed to evade multiple intercept attempts by Israel’s air defense network.

The missile struck an orchard just outside of Ben Gurion International Airport’s Terminal 3 – Israel’s primarily international civilian air travel hub.

A large explosion was reported at the scene, leaving four people lightly injured.