Israel’s defence chief warns Iran: What we did in Yemen, we will do in Tehran

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a sharp warning to Iran on May 8, declaring that Tehran would face the same military response Israel has delivered against its regional adversaries if it continues supporting attacks on Israeli territory.

“If the Houthis continue to shell Israel, we will strike them severely. The IDF is prepared for any mission,” Katz said following a recent escalation of Houthi missile strikes, Caliber.Az reports via Israeli media.

Katz placed direct responsibility on Iran for the latest attacks, vowing that the era of immunity for Tehran’s regional allies was over.

“The proxy system has ended and the axis of evil has collapsed,” he said. “You are directly responsible. What we did to Hezbollah in Beirut, to Hamas in Gaza, to Assad in Damascus, and to the Houthis in Yemen—we will do to you in Tehran.”

He reiterated Israel’s long-held doctrine of self-reliance in defence, adding, “Israel must be able to defend itself on its own against any threat and any enemy. This has been true in the face of many challenges in the past and will remain so in the future. We will not allow anyone to harm Israel, and whoever harms us will suffer severely.”

Katz’s comments follow a major Israeli airstrike campaign last week targeting Houthi positions across Yemen. According to Israeli sources, airstrikes hit Sanaa International Airport, fuel storage sites, power plants, and a cement factory in northwest Yemen.

The strike was responded to by a May 5 missile attack claimed by Yemen’s Houthi movement, which struck near Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport outside Tel Aviv, injuring eight people and briefly halting air traffic. The incident marked a significant escalation, as it was one of the closest strikes to Israel’s main international gateway and exposed vulnerabilities in the country’s missile defence system—Israeli officials confirmed the projectile was not intercepted.

The Houthis declared the missile strike a retaliation for Israel’s continued military operations in Gaza, and they pledged further action in what they described as support for the Palestinian people.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also vowed retribution, stating that those responsible—both directly and indirectly—would face consequences, including Iran. Israel accuses Tehran of supplying arms, intelligence, and funding to the Houthi movement, part of what it sees as a broader campaign by Iran to destabilise the region through militant proxies.

 By Tamilla Hasanova