Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed multiple retaliatory strikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels after a missile launched by the Iran-backed group landed near Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday.
In a video message posted shortly after the attack, Netanuahu said, “We operated against them in the past and we will operate in the future,” he says. “It’s not ‘bang — that’s it, but there will be bangs,” the Prime Minister affirmed.
The Houthis, who have recently escalated missile attacks on Israel in what they claim is a show of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, launched a missile that landed near Ben Gurion Airport, Israel’s main international gateway, sending a plume of smoke into the air and sparking panic among passengers.
The strike came as Israeli ministers were reported to be close to signing off on plans to expand the military operation in Gaza, which resumed in March following a two-month truce.
Netanyahu, in his video message, said that his cabinet would discuss the next stage of the Gaza offensive this evening, reaffirming that the military campaign is aimed at “defeating Hamas.”
“We are focused on two missions,” he said. “One, to bring our hostages back. Two, to defeat Hamas. Hamas will not remain — you have to understand this,” the Israeli Prime Minister said, adding, “In wars, you reach a decision — victory.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military began issuing call-up notices to thousands of reservists to support an expanded offensive in Gaza, news agency Reuters reported, citing Israeli media. The move follows Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement that his upcoming visit to Azerbaijan has been postponed.
According to reports, the reservists will be deployed to Israel’s border with Lebanon and the occupied West Bank, replacing regular troops who are expected to spearhead the new phase of the Gaza offensive.
