Defense minister says airstrikes will continue and the Iranian-aligned terror group will face a sustained naval and aerial blockade.

The Israeli Air Force struck Sana’a International Airport on Wednesday, May 28, destroying the last operational aircraft used by the Houthi terrorist organization, according to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz.

“This is a clear message and a direct continuation of the policy we established: Whoever fires at the State of Israel will pay a heavy price,” Katz stated following the strike.

A short while ago, the IDF struck the main airport in Sana’a and aircraft belonging to the Houthi terrorist organization.

The targeted aircraft were used by the Houthi regime to transport terrorists who were planning attacks against the State of Israel.

The attack followed an Israeli operation on May 6 that eliminated other aircraft at the same site.

Katz emphasized that Israeli forces will continue to target strategic Houthi assets. “The ports in Yemen will continue to be struck heavily, and the airport in Sana’a will be destroyed again and again,” he said. “The Houthi terror organization will be under naval and aerial blockade, as we committed and warned. Whoever harms us will be harmed sevenfold.”

The Israeli military confirmed details of the operation, stating: “The IDF recently attacked the central airport in Sana’a and an aircraft belonging to the Houthi terrorist organization. The aircraft that were attacked were used by the Houthi terrorist regime to transport terrorists who were promoting terrorist acts against the State of Israel.”

The IDF added that the airport, like the ports of Hodeidah and al-Salif attacked earlier this month, remains under active Houthi control and is used for terror-related operations. “This is another example of the brutal use that the Houthi terrorist organization makes of civilian infrastructure for terrorist acts.”

In its statement, the military underscored its commitment to preemptive action: “The IDF is determined to continue to act and strike with force anyone who poses a threat to the residents of the State of Israel, and at whatever distance is required.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also confirmed the Israeli strike, adding, “Anyone who doesn’t understand this through force will understand it through even greater force. But as I have said many times, the Houthis are just the symptom. The main force behind them is Iran, and it is responsible for the aggression coming from Yemen.”

The Israeli government has reiterated its policy of deterrence following recent missile and drone launches from Yemen.

The IDF intercepted a ballistic missile early Tuesday morning that was launched by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen. The attack triggered air-raid sirens in the Jordan Valley and several towns in the Shomron, prompting residents to rush to bomb shelters in the pre-dawn hours. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Hours later, the military announced that the air force had recently downed another missile launched from Yemen. No sirens were activated by that attack, in line with existing policy, the IDF said.

To date, the Houthis have fired well over 400 times at Israel since the start of the war, using a mix of ballistic missiles and drones.

Although only one Israeli was killed by a drone in July 2024, the missiles have significantly disrupted the fabric of life in Israel, often requiring millions of Israelis to dash into safe rooms and causing many international airlines to pull out of flying to Israel, especially after an attack near Ben-Gurion Airport on May 4, as the attacks on Israel have escalated in recent weeks.

Until July 2024, the IDF left responding to the Houthis to the U.S., but since then, Jerusalem has ordered around 10 strikes on Houthi assets at the Port of Hodeidah, Sana’a International Airport, other ports, and against some electrical facilities.

There was also a brief period earlier in 2025 when the Trump administration was striking the Houthis harder, but after reaching a deal with the Yemeni terror group that it would stop attacking U.S. shipping, Washington also stopped its attacks.

The terrorist organization also did not fire on Israel during the January 19 to early March ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The two main ways that top Israeli officials believe the Houthis can be stopped from firing on Israel are by another ceasefire with Hamas or if the Houthis’ Sunni opponents in Yemen can be helped to dethrone them from control of much of the country.

However, without U.S. support for such a move, few think Israel can project sufficient power to help the Houthis’ Sunni opponents gain the upper hand.