The Iran-backed Houthi rebels plan on escalating their actions against Israel by targeting planes belonging to El Al and other Israeli civilian carriers, sources from the Yemeni rebel group told Lebanon’s Al-Akhbar newspaper on Friday.

Since March 18, when the IDF resumed its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis have launched 42 ballistic missiles and at least 10 drones at Israel. A May 4 missile impacted inside the grounds of Ben Gurion Airport, prompting most foreign carriers to suspend their flights to Israel and raising Israel’s dependence on El Al and its other airlines. The IDF intercepted the latest Houthi missile on Thursday evening.

The Houthis’ new threat to target Israeli civilian airplanes comes after Israeli fighter jets bombed the Houthi-controlled Sanaa International Airport earlier this week, following weeks of near-daily ballistic missile attacks on Israel.

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels plan on escalating their actions against Israel by targeting planes belonging to El Al and other Israeli civilian carriers, sources from the Yemeni rebel group told Lebanon’s Al-Akhbar newspaper on Friday.

Since March 18, when the IDF resumed its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis have launched 42 ballistic missiles and at least 10 drones at Israel. A May 4 missile impacted inside the grounds of Ben Gurion Airport, prompting most foreign carriers to suspend their flights to Israel and raising Israel’s dependence on El Al and its other airlines. The IDF intercepted the latest Houthi missile on Thursday evening.

The Houthis’ new threat to target Israeli civilian airplanes comes after Israeli fighter jets bombed the Houthi-controlled Sanaa International Airport earlier this week, following weeks of near-daily ballistic missile attacks on Israel.

The targeted plane was said by Defense Minister Israel Katz to be the last remaining plane operated by the Houthis, after six other aircraft were destroyed by an earlier Israeli strike.

The Houthis have since claimed that the targeted aircraft was being used to carry out medical evacuations to Jordan.