Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen are reportedly planning to intensify their offensive operations against Israel, with a new focus on targeting civilian aircraft such as those operated by El Al and other Israeli airlines. This development was reported Friday by Lebanon’s Al-Akhbar newspaper, which cited unnamed members of the Houthi group.
Since Israel renewed its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza on March 18, the Houthis have launched a total of 42 ballistic missiles and at least 10 drones aimed at Israel. One missile, fired on May 4, landed within the perimeter of Ben Gurion Airport. That incident led most international airlines to suspend their flights to Israel, forcing a reliance on Israeli carriers like El Al. The IDF intercepted the latest missile on Thursday evening.
This new threat comes on the heels of Israeli airstrikes earlier this week on the Sanaa International Airport, which is under Houthi control. Those strikes were in response to the ongoing missile and drone barrages from the Yemeni-based militants.
Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the aircraft targeted in the Israeli bombing was the Houthis’ last operational plane, with six others having previously been destroyed in another Israeli attack.
In response, the Houthis claimed the aircraft that was hit had been used for medical evacuations to Jordan.
Speaking to Al-Akhbar, Houthi officials vowed a shift in both the intensity and nature of their operations. “Upcoming operations will differ in quantity and substance from the previous operations” against Israel, they said, adding that they now intend to “add civilian aircraft belonging to the Israeli entity to the list of targets.”
It remains uncertain whether the Houthis possess the technology required to effectively carry out such an attack. Still, the group has recently managed to down at least seven US MQ-9 Reaper drones.
Earlier this month, a spokesperson for the Houthis told Newsweek that the group had acquired “new weapons” capable of imposing an “aerial blockade” on Israel.
Much of the Houthis’ military arsenal is believed to originate from their main sponsor, Iran.
Many international airlines suspended service to Israel earlier this month after a Houthi-fired ballistic missile hit the grounds of Ben Gurion International Airport. Since then, most travel in and out of the country has depended on Israeli carriers including El Al, Arkia, and Israir.
The Houthi campaign of missile and drone strikes has also included attacks on naval vessels, both civilian and military, as part of what they claim is an effort to pressure Israel to halt its military actions in Gaza—actions triggered by the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in which roughly 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.
Between November 2023 and January 2025, the Houthis launched attacks on over 100 merchant ships using drones and missiles. Two vessels were sunk and four sailors were killed, severely disrupting maritime trade through the Red Sea, a critical route for global commerce handling an estimated $1 trillion in goods annually.
Though the Houthis claim to be targeting vessels connected to Israel, they have frequently hit ships with no links to the Jewish state.
The Houthis temporarily ceased their operations following their own declared pause—until the United States resumed airstrikes against them in mid-March.
Those operations, authorized by US President Donald Trump, mirrored earlier military actions taken against the Houthis under Democratic president Joe Biden.
Trump halted the campaign in early May after the Houthis reportedly agreed to stop attacking maritime traffic in the Red Sea corridor. That understanding, however, did not extend to attacks directed at Israel.
{Matzav.com}