Israel Intensifies Air Strikes on Yemen's Sanaa Airport Amid Rising Tensions
On December 26, Israel launched significant air strikes on Yemen's international airport in Sanaa, escalating its military operations against the Iranian-supported Huthi rebels. The attacks resulted in the deaths of three individuals, with 14 others reported injured or missing, according to Huthi officials. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that fighter jets conducted precision strikes targeting military installations associated with the Huthi regime along the western coast and within Yemen's interior.
This escalation follows a series of rocket launches by Huthi fighters aimed at the Tel Aviv area, although these attacks reportedly caused minimal damage. In reaction to the Israeli air assault, the Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the actions as aggressive violations of international peace and security, declaring them as undeniable crimes against the 'heroic and noble people' of Yemen who support the Palestinian cause.
The IDF stated that these air strikes were strategically focused on Huthi positions known to be receiving Iranian weapons, which are subsequently distributed to various allied militant groups in the region, particularly Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Both Hamas and Hezbollah are recognized as terrorist organizations by the United States and the European Union, with the Huthis similarly designated as a terrorist group by the U.S. earlier this year.
Recent military operations have significantly weakened both Hamas and Hezbollah, which have faced extensive Israeli retaliations following Hamas's attacks on Israel, notably the incident on October 7, 2023, that left many of their leaders dead. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintained that the airstrikes would persist against the Huthi rebels who have also been implicated in disrupting shipping lanes within the Red Sea, asserting their role in broader support for Hamas fighters in Gaza.
‘We are determined to sever this branch of terrorism from the Iranian axis of evil. We will continue until the job is done,’ Netanyahu stated in a video message.
During the air strikes, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization, was present at Sanaa airport. He reported that while he was unharmed, one crew member from their plane sustained injuries due to the attacks.
As the situation unfolds, global attention is drawn to the implications of these strikes not only for Yemen but for regional stability and international security efforts.
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