Houthi drone strike near Israeli Airport; fight operations briefly halted – What we know

Thick smoke was seen rising near a southern Israeli airport on Sunday (Sep 7) after a drone strike by the Houthis rebels in Yemen struck the region, according to the Israeli military. Following the attack, the airspace was briefly closed and flight operations were halted. Authorities said that the Houthis launched multiple drones, some of which were intercepted. At least one drone hit close to the Ramon International Airport near the southern Israeli city of Eilat.

In a statement, the Israeli military said, “The IAF intercepted three UAVs launched from Yemen, two of which were intercepted prior to crossing into Israeli territory. Sirens were sounded in southern Israel.”

Dramatic visuals from the incident were shared on social media, showing thick black plumes of smoke rising near the airport following the strike.

This comes as the conflict between Israel and Yemen after Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and 11 other senior officials were killed in Israeli air strikes two weeks earlier. Following the leader’s death, the Houthis vowed to escalate their attacks on Israel and on its vessels passing through a crucial Red Sea shipping route off Yemen.

The recent attack comes months after a Houthi missile struck near Israel’s main airport. Following the strike, four people were injured and several airlines cancelled their flights to Israel for months. In retaliation, Israel later targeted the main airport in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.

In the recent attacks, Houthi rebels have used cluster munitions in attacks on Israel. These weapons open up with smaller explosives and can be harder to intercept.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces have expanded their military operations in Gaza City as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government moves ahead with its takeover plan. Amid the heightened attacks in the territory, the Israeli military has urged residents to move to safer locations.