After two days of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen, the Houthis have responded with threats and reports of severe damage. According to Khaled al-Shaif, Director General of Sanaa International Airport, which was directly hit in the strikes, the economic damage is estimated at roughly half a billion dollars. “The terminals were destroyed, all the equipment and devices were wiped out, and we lost three aircraft—only one remains, and it’s outside of Yemen,” he claimed.
He added that all flights have been canceled until further notice and noted that the reconstruction will take “a long time.” The strike, carried out after a Houthi missile was launched toward Ben Gurion Airport, targeted weapons depots and military installations, but also reportedly caused extensive damage to civilian infrastructure, according to local sources.
Houthis threaten: “Shelters won’t help you”
Alongside reports of damage, senior Houthi official Hazem al-Asad renewed his threats against Israel—this time in Hebrew. “Does the Zionist entity have enough shelters?” he asked in a public threat. “The coming days will bring surprises.”
The Houthis stressed that they “will not abandon Gaza” and insisted that Israeli strikes would not deter them from continuing to launch attacks.
While Yemen burns, Lebanon and Gaza also remain active fronts. According to Lebanese media reports, the IDF eliminated Hamas operative Khaled Ahmad al-Ahmad in a vehicle strike near the city of Sidon.
Meanwhile in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian sources reported fatalities from IDF airstrikes last night in the Al-Bureij refugee camp.
Cairo and Doha declare unity amid the crisis
Amid the ongoing political tension, Egypt and Qatar issued a joint statement stressing that they are “operating on a unified diplomatic front” to bring about a ceasefire and humanitarian aid to Gaza. Both countries affirmed their continued commitment to mediation efforts and denied any disruption to their cooperation.
“Attempts to sow division will not deter us,” the statement read. “We are working in close coordination with the United States to reach an agreement that will end the war and protect civilians.”
In the background: renewed focus on the hostages
At the same time, attention remains on the fate of the hostages. Trump stated last night that only 21 of them are still alive—contradicting the official figure given by Gal Hirsch, Coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing, who reported that 24 out of 59 are confirmed alive.
