The Iran-backed Houthi terrorists of Yemen threatened on Monday to impose a “complete air blockade” of Israel, building from their success at landing a missile in the general vicinity of Israel’s Ben Gurion airport on Sunday.
“In response to Israel’s decision to expand its aggressive operation in the Gaza Strip, the armed forces declare that they will work to establish a complete air blockade of the Israeli enemy by launching multiple attacks on the airports, primarily Lod Airport, known in Israel as Ben Gurion Airport,” Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said on Monday.
“Lod Airport” was the name of Israel’s major international airport from its establishment in 1948 until it was renamed in 1973 in honor of David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister. The airport is located on the outskirts of the ancient city of Lod, a little under ten miles from Tel Aviv.
On Sunday, a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis managed to slip through Israel’s formidable air defenses and struck a grove of trees near Ben Gurion Airport. Several minor injuries were reported from the blast, and the access road leading to Ben Gurion’s Terminal 3 suffered some damage.
The missile was able to evade both Israel’s Arrow and the U.S. THAAD missile defense systems, becoming the first Houthi missile to impact near Ben Gurion.
The Houthi attack was launched several hours before a meeting of the Israeli security cabinet approved the expansion of military activity in Gaza, a decision Saree alluded to in his statement.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told the Jerusalem Post on Monday the problem with the air defenses was a “technical error,” rather than human error or improvements in Houthi missile technology. Some Israelis, notably including opposition politician and former IDF chief Benny Gantz, had suggested Iran helped the Houthis upgrade their missiles to penetrate Israel’s defenses.
Saree’s threat played up the success of the Sunday missile launch, suggesting the Houthis were now capable of threatening Israeli aviation enough to shut down its airports completely. Several major foreign carriers canceled scheduled flights to Ben Gurion on Sunday, including Germany’s Lufthansa and America’s Delta and United. The airport resumed operations on Sunday after a temporary suspension, while most of the foreign carriers said they planned to resume service to Ben Gurion by Tuesday or Wednesday.
Saree told all foreign airlines to “take note” of the Houthi terrorist threat and “cancel all flights to enemy airports to ensure the safety of planes and passengers.”
Israel Police Central District Chief-Superintendent Yigal Habsor said it was a “miracle” the missile strike did not inflict more serious damage.
“A missile carrying dozens of kilograms of explosives landed near Ben-Gurion Airport, in an orchard and not, God forbid, in the airport itself or a residential area,” Habsor said.
The Israeli Security Cabinet voted to retaliate for the Houthi attack on Sunday with sustained military action. Defense Minister Israel Katz declared, “Whoever harms us will be struck sevenfold in return.”
“This isn’t a one-and-done, but there will be some big hits,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
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