A regional broadcaster aired footage Wednesday evening from Yemen’s Sana’a International Airport, showing the aftermath of an Israeli airstrike that officials say destroyed the last operational aircraft used by the Houthi rebel group.
The video, released by the Al-Arabi channel, was taken shortly after Israel launched what it called Operation Golden Jewel. The operation targeted an Airbus A320 belonging to Yemenia, the national airline, which Israeli officials say had been used by the Houthis to transport terrorists planning attacks against Israel.
The footage showed extensive damage across the airport, marking the second Israeli strike on the site in recent weeks. According to the Israel Defense Forces, the plane was part of the Houthi arsenal and its destruction signifies a blow to the group’s ability to use civilian aviation for operational purposes.
“The aircraft were used by the Houthi terror regime to move militants involved in plotting attacks on Israel,” the military said in a statement. “This is another example of the organization’s cynical use of civilian infrastructure to conduct terrorist operations.”
The A320, identified by its registration number 7O-AFF, had reportedly flown to Amman, Jordan, and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in recent days, carrying pilgrims from Houthi-controlled areas ahead of the annual Hajj. It had landed back in Sana’a on Wednesday morning after a return flight from Amman.
Following a prior Israeli strike on the airport on May 6, the aircraft had been grounded in Amman pending repairs to the runway. It resumed operations on May 17 and flew for roughly 11 days before being destroyed, Israeli officials said.
Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the strike, stating that Israeli fighter jets “destroyed the last aircraft still in Houthi use,” and warned of continued military pressure. “Yemen’s ports will continue to be hit hard, and Sana’a Airport will be repeatedly destroyed, along with other strategic infrastructure supporting the Houthi terror organization,” he said.
Khaled Al-Shaif, the airport’s director, confirmed the aircraft’s destruction on the social platform X, accusing Israel of targeting civilian aviation.
The strike also follows reports that three other Yemenia aircraft used by the Houthis—two additional A320s and an A330—were destroyed in the earlier attack.
Israel has accused the Iran-backed Houthi rebels of launching drones and missiles toward its territory since the outbreak of the war in Gaza. The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, have aligned themselves with Iran’s regional axis and vowed to support Hamas in its conflict with Israel.