"If US, Israel Attack...": Iran's Warning Amid Houthi Missile Strikes

Iran on Sunday has vowed to "strike back" at targets, bases, and forces of the United States and Israel if they retaliate against the Yemen's Houthi rebels after a missile fired by the Iran-backed group landed near Ben Gurion Airport. According to Iran's Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, while the country has "no hostility" towards neighbouring countries, it will consider the US bases in the region as targets in case of retaliation.

"If this war is initiated by the US or the Zionist regime (Israel), Iran will target their interests, bases and forces - wherever they may be and whenever deemed necessary," Mr Nasirzadeh said.

Mr Nasirzadeh's comments also followed the country unveiling a new solid-fuel ballistic missile called 'Qassem Bassir' - which has a range of 1,200 kilometres.

The Houthis, who control swathes of Yemen, began targeting Israel and Red Sea shipping in late 2023, during the early days of the war between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip. On Sunday, Houthis fired a ballistic missile that landed just 75 meters from Terminal 3 of Ben Gurion Airport outside Tel Aviv. It reportedly bypassed four layers of air defence and hit a grove adjacent to an access road within the airport's perimeter - one of the most sensitive zones.

According to Israeli officials, at least eight people were injured in the attack as the country failed to intercept the missiles - even with a US-made THAAD system and an indigenous Arrow system.

Last week, the Houthi group said it had shot down a US F-18 fighter jet during an earlier assault on the aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman, and launched fresh drone attacks targeting another US carrier and Israeli cities.

Tensions between Houthis and the US have escalated since Washington resumed airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen on March 15. US President Donald Trump has vowed to hold Iran responsible for any attacks carried out by the group. So far, Israel has refrained from launching retaliatory strikes on Yemen as the US has been leading a broader military campaign against the Iran-backed group.

Israel's "seven-fold response" warning

Shortly after the missile attack on Ben Gurion Airport, Israel announced a "sevenfold retaliation".

"Whoever harms us, we will strike them sevenfold," Israel's Defence Minister, Israel Katz, said in a statement.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also pledged multiple strikes against the Houthis.

"Israel's retaliation for the Houthi attack will not be a 'one-and-done' situation, and there will be blows in response to the attack. We are acting against them. We have acted in the past, and we will act in the future. I cannot detail everything. The United States, in coordination with us, is also acting against them," he said in a video.

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