Netanyahu: Israel will respond, ‘at a time of our choosing,’ against both the Houthis and Iran

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will respond to the strike on Ben Gurion Airport this morning by the Iran-backed Houthi terror group in Yemen, as well as to Iran itself, “at a time and place of our choosing.”

“Attacks by the Houthis emanate from Iran. Israel will respond to the Houthi attack against our main airport AND, at a time and place of our choosing, to their Iranian terror masters,” Netanyahu writes on X, attaching a March 17 post by US President Donald Trump warning Iran that the US will retaliate to Houthi attacks by addressing Tehran directly.

President Trump is absolutely right!

Attacks by the Houthis emanate from Iran. Israel will respond to the Houthi attack against our main airport AND, at a time and place of our choosing, to their Iranian terror masters. pic.twitter.com/eO4hyUzNsI

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) May 4, 2025

The Foreign Ministry reiterates Netanyahu’s message, writing in a separate post: “The Houthi attacks are Iranian attacks — Iran uses them as a proxy to spread terror and undermine the regional and global order.

“The world must hold Iran accountable for these attacks,” says the ministry, adding that “Israel has the right to defend itself, and it will exercise this right at a time of its choosing.”

Separately, during a meeting with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, Netanyahu says, “We, along with the entire world, are under threat from the Houthis. We will not tolerate it and will take very strong retaliatory action against them.”

“We will always remember that they acted under the orders and with the support of their patron — Iran. We will do what needs to be done to deliver a proper warning to Iran that we cannot tolerate such acts,” the premier continues.