Houthis say operations restored at Sanaa airport, Hodeidah port after Israeli strikes

 

Operations at Sanaa International Airport and Hodeidah Port have resumed normal activities following a series of strikes launched by Israel, the Houthi group said on Friday.

"Sanaa International Airport and Hodeidah Port are fully prepared to operate at full capacity," Mohammed Qahim, head of Houthi transport authorities, told the Houthi-run Saba News Agency, adding that the airport is technically capable of receiving civilian flights, UN aircraft, and humanitarian aid deliveries around the clock.

Qahim also criticized the recent Israeli airstrikes, which he claimed were aimed at disrupting air traffic and maritime operations in Yemen.

READ: Huthis claim new attacks on Israel after strikes hit Yemen airport

The Israeli warplanes on Thursday hit Houthi-used infrastructures in the Sanaa International Airport, and the Hezyaz and Ras Kanatib power stations, both located in Houthi-controlled areas, as well as the ports of Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Kanatib on the western coast, the military said in a statement, claiming that Houthis used those sites to smuggle Iranian weapons into the region and for the entry of senior Iranian officials.

The Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported that the strikes caused significant damage, killing at least six people and injuring dozens of others. A UN staff member, who arrived in the Yemeni capital for the negotiation over the release of UN staff detained by the Houthi group, was among the injured.

Thursday's airstrike marks the fourth Israeli strike on Houthi-controlled targets this year. 

Following the assault, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his resolve to dismantle the Houthis' military capabilities, saying, "We are determined to cut off this terror arm of the Iranian axis of evil."

The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, have been launching regular rocket and drone attacks against Israel and disrupting "Israeli-linked" shipping in the Red Sea since November 2023 to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid their conflict with Israelis.