Have The Houthis Just Shut Down ALL Flights To Israel?

Right, so with the Gaza ceasefire having ended, with Israel committing atrocities throughout the Gaza Strip, so it is that not only have the Houthis of Yemen resumed their blockade of the Red Sea and almost a full week now of strikes on US warships in response to airstrikes they have committed in Yemen, but they have also resumed their nightly rocket attacks on Israel, in solidarity with the people of Gaza, resuming the strikes they were enacting before the ceasefire, sending Israeli citizens scattering for the safety of shelters, disturbing their sleep, causing maximum disturbance as their rockets invariably get taken out, by Israeli defences, either by accident or design, the Houthis always claim their aims have been achieved whether their rockets land or not, implying the disturbance is the aim most of all.
The other day I covered the strike on Ben Gurion airport though, a civilian target in Tel Aviv, one they have targeted before, there was much coverage debating whether or not the airport was actually hit as it got shut down, though this was later found to be as a result of debris as the rocket was once again intercepted. It seems to have given the Houthis a bit of inspiration though. They are already causing a blockade by sea, they are causing chaos over land, but now the plan is to interfere with Israel by air too it seems and what they’ve come up with, might just be a stroke of genius.
Right, so the ongoing genocide of Gaza by Israel took a dramatic turn over the last week, with the resumption of rocket fire over Israel by the Houthi movement in Yemen, who, following their strike on Ben Gurion airport several days ago has now declared the Tel Aviv airport unsafe for international flights going forwards. It’s a clever move, they don’t actually have to fire another rocket at the airport, because they’ve proven they can reach it and so by telling international airlines that fly to Tel Aviv its not safe for them to do so, having demonstrated exactly why, who’s keen to test them?
The Houthis’ actions here are explicitly aimed at inflicting economic damage on Israel in response to their genocide of Gaza, tourism a large part of Israel’s economy and one that has suffered badly as a result of their actions in Gaza, an economy that is in dire straits, with investors pulling out of business dealings, IDF reservists constantly being called up has been seeing small and medium sized businesses collapse and other businesspeople selling up and getting out of the country whilst they can, with other people shifting their finances and their pensions outside of Israel as their own currency tanks. Hitting Israel in the pocket, rather than literally with a rocket, is a stroke of genius and the hub that is Ben Gurion airport, being threatened with a strike at any time and aimed at airlines too, could be their most damaging attack yet and they may not need to to ever fire another rocket at the airport if it puts enough people off flying there.
The Houthi movement, or Ansar Allah, has long positioned itself as a staunch opponent of Israel and an ally of the people of Palestine following the events of October 7th, following the genocide Israel began in Gaza in the aftermath of that attack. Since the end of the Gaza ceasefire, the group has renewed its efforts to challenge Israel’s military actions in Gaza by targeting military infrastructure or open spaces, enough to trigger the air raid sirens in Israel, enough to cause disturbance if no actual significant damage. Following an attack on Ben Gurion airport, which saw their rocket taken down by Israeli air defences, Israel’s Iron Dome, perhaps some of this rocket fire testing that once more to see how Israel have possibly rebuilt the ailing system during the Gaza ceasefire, the Houthis succeeded in shitting down the airport for a few hours due to debris falling and it seems this gave them a bit of an idea because they have now declared Ben Gurion Airport unsafe for international flights, warning that any airlines operating in Israeli airspace would be targeted themselves as well. Having proven they can shut the airport down, they are now threatening to do so at any time and clearly they seem capable of doing so.
The Houthis’ targeting of Ben Gurion Airport is not an isolated incident, I don’t believe it comes out of a desire to target civilians specifically either, else they would target civilian areas far more commonly than they seem to have done previously, I note the rescuing of crews from the shipping they have crippled in their Red Sea blockade as well, there doesn’t seem to be a desire to deliberately target civilians, though obviously what they are doing invariably carries that potential. Their targeting of this airport now though, seems to be their latest move as part of a broader strategy to undermine Israel’s ailing economy and isolate it internationally, putting off people from wanting to visit, rendering it unsafe to potentially fly there and that will give airlines pause for thought as much as passengers, not wishing to risk their planes, not necessarily economically viable to fly there going forwards of the flights are not turning a profit.
Therefore by declaring the airport unsafe, the Houthis could successfully deter international airlines from flying to Israel, cutting off a critical lifeline for the country’s economy. Ben Gurion Airport is Israel’s primary international gateway, it handles millions of passengers and billions of dollars in cargo annually. Any disruption to those operations carries potentially crippling consequences, not only for Israel’s tourism industry but also for its trade and commerce.
Israel’s economy is heavily reliant on international trade and tourism, because it doesn’t get on well with neighbouring states and does little trade with them comparative to further afield. Both of these specific industries however depend on the smooth functioning of its airports. In 2022, Israel welcomed over 2.5 million tourists, contributing significantly to its GDP. The tourism sector alone accounts for nearly 3% of the country’s GDP and employs tens of thousands of people. A prolonged closure or disruption of Ben Gurion Airport would deal another severe blow to this sector, on top of that caused by the genocide of Gaza already, leading to even more job losses and a decline in revenue.
Israel’s high-tech industry, which is a cornerstone of its economy, relies on the efficient movement of goods and people as well. Many of Israel’s tech companies have global operations and depend on air travel for business meetings, conferences, and collaborations. Any disruption to air travel would hinder their ability to compete in the global market, potentially leading to further loss of investment and innovation.
The Houthis’ declaration also has psychological implications. By targeting Ben Gurion Airport, the group aims to create a sense of insecurity and instability in Israel, deterring foreign investors and businesses from operating there. This, in turn, could lead to a decline in foreign direct investment and further strain on Israel’s economy.
The Houthis’ declaration regarding Ben Gurion Airport came on the heels of a series of rocket attacks on Israel, including three straight nights of alarms being set off by incoming rockets. The rocket barrage on Tel Aviv, which marked the first such attack on the city in months, was widely seen as a symbolic act of defiance, aimed at demonstrating the Houthis’ continued capability to retaliate despite Israel’s apparent military superiority, but will also be a source of embarrassment for Israel t5hat Houthi rockets can still reach that far before being intercepted.
While the rockets have caused minimal damage and no casualties, they have disrupted daily life and forced many Israelis to seek shelter. This, in turn, has put additional pressure on the Israeli government to respond to the threat, potentially escalating the conflict further and of course the US has come to their aid on such matters, because of course they have.
In addition to their rocket attacks on Israel, the Houthis have also targeted the USS Harry S. Truman, the US Navy aircraft carrier deployed in the Red Sea, because of strikes launched on Yemen by the US, which have targeted civilian areas and infrastructure. Over the course of six straight days, the Houthis have launched naval attacks on the ship, using drones and missiles.
All of this has demonstrated the group’s willingness to confront not only Israel but also its allies, including the United States, no matter how big or powerful the target. Honey badgers they’ve been described as and I think the nickname fits.
Whatever your views here of what the Houthis are doing and have done, whether you agree with their methods or not, they have to be understood within the context of Israel’s genocidal acts in Gaza as well as the Houthis themselves, who will not back down from what they are doing, driven by their faith as they are to continue no matter what, something Western capitalist governments can’t grasp and this is especially relevant given the crushing poverty in Yemen. The collapse of the ceasefire and the resumption of hostilities have exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, drawing widespread condemnation from the international community, but little action as usual, that is not the case with the Houthis and as much as the violence by any side is condemnable, with so little diplomatic success, its little surprise matters remain where they are. By effectively declaring Israel’s largest airport a no fly zone though, the Houthis may have struck a heavier blow here than any of their previous rocket attacks ever have.
For more on the story of the Houthi strike on Ben Gurion airport the other day which really did cause chaos, check out all the details of that story in this video recommendation here as your suggested next watch. Please do also hit like share and subscribe if you have not already done so, so as to ensure you don’t miss out on all new daily content as well as supporting the channel which is enormously appreciated and I will hopefully catch you on the next vid. Cheers folks.