Iran has issued a warning, threatening to target U.S. and Israeli bases if they retaliate against the Houthi rebels following missile attacks near Ben Gurion Airport. The Houthis are intensifying their assaults amid increasing tensions, while Israel has promised severe retaliatory measures.
On Sunday, Iran’s Defense Minister, Aziz Nasirzadeh, stated that the country would “fight back” against U.S. and Israeli interests if missiles fired by Iran-backed groups were to strike again. He emphasized that while Iran holds “no hostility” towards its neighbors, it regards U.S. bases in the area as valid targets if retaliation occurs.
“If this war is launched by the U.S. or the Zionist regime (Israel), Iran will target their interests, bases and troops,” Nasirzadeh asserted. His remarks came shortly after the unveiling of the “Qassem Bassir,” a new solid-fuel ballistic missile.
The Houthis, who control areas in Yemen, have been targeting Israel and regional shipping routes since late 2023, coinciding with the conflict between Hamas and Israel in Gaza. Recently, they launched a ballistic missile that landed just 75 meters from Terminal 3 at Ben Gurion Airport, hitting groves adjacent to the airport grounds and reportedly eluding multiple layers of air defenses. At least eight individuals sustained injuries, as Israeli officials noted that the missile could not be intercepted.
Last week, the Houthi faction claimed responsibility for downing a U.S. F-18 fighter jet during an earlier incident involving the USS Harry S. Truman, and they launched another drone attack aimed at a different U.S. carrier and the Israeli city.
Tensions between the Houthis and the U.S. have escalated since airstrikes resumed on March 15 against Houthi positions in Yemen. In response, U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed to address attacks carried out by the group, while Israel has opted not to initiate retaliatory strikes against Yemen so far, as the U.S. leads a broader military campaign against Iran-aligned factions.
Israel’s “Seven Responses” Warning
Following the Ben Gurion Airport missile strike, Israel declared it would respond with “seven times more retaliation.” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated, “Anyone who harms us, we will attack them seven times more.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also committed to numerous strikes against the Houthis, clarifying that the response to their attack is not a singular event but part of a broader strategy. “We have acted in the past, and we will act in the future,” he emphasized.
