This Photo Is Unrelated to the Recent Israeli Attack on Sana'a International Airport
The Claim
The Israeli regime launched a massive attack on Sana'a International Airport, the capital of #Yemen.
News posted on
Emerging story
Against the backdrop of the recent Israeli airstrike on Sana'a International Airport, social media users widely spread a photo claiming to show the aftermath of an Israeli airstrike on the Yemeni airport.
An X user shared the photo along with the caption, “The Israeli regime launched a massive attack on Sana'a International Airport, the capital of #Yemen.”
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the viral photo and found the claim to be misleading.
After conducting a thorough reverse image search, Misbar’s team found the circulating photo to be outdated and unrelated to recent Israel-Yemen clashes.
Old Photo Features Saudi-led Coalition Attack on Yemen’s Sana'a Airport
Contrary to social media users’ viral claim, the photo is unrelated to the recent Israeli attack on Yemen’s Sana'a International Airport.
Misbar’s investigative team traced the photo's original publication to April 2015. IL DISCRIMINE, a news website, featured the photo in a published article about the Saudi-led coalition airstrike on Sana'a International Airport on April 28, 2015.
The website cited the Lebanese Al-Manar news outlet reporting that the Saudi Air Force intensified the bombing of the Sana'a International Airport at the time.
Saudi-led Coalition Strikes Sana'a International Airport in 2015
On April 28, 2015, Saudi-led coalition jets bombed the runway of Sana'a International Airport to prevent an Iranian plane from landing, according to Reuters.
Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, told Reuters that the coalition bombed Sana'a Airport after an Iranian aircraft disregarded coordination requests and ignored orders to turn back.
In response, Iran condemned the strike, asserting that the targeted plane carried humanitarian aid. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham denounced the bombing as a reflection of hatred and an attempt to intensify pressure on Yemen's defenseless population.
Israel Bombs Yemen’s Sana'a International Airport
The Israeli military reported targeting multiple Houthi sites in Yemen, including Sana'a International Airport and three ports along the western coast, on Thursday.
The strikes also hit the Hezyaz and Ras Kanatib power stations and military facilities in Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Kanatib ports.
Al Masirah TV, the Houthis' main news outlet, reported that the strikes on Sana'a Airport and Hodeidah power station resulted in two deaths at the airport, one fatality at the ports, and 11 injuries.
World Health Organization (WHO) Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that he and other U.N. officials were preparing to board a plane at Sana'a airport when the Israeli bombardment began.
The Yemeni Houthi group announced retaliatory strikes against Israeli airstrikes on Sana'a airport early Friday. The group said they launched a missile targeting Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport and a drone attack on Tel Aviv.
In a statement, the Houthis declared that Israel’s actions would only strengthen Yemen’s resolve to support the Palestinian people.
The Israeli military reported intercepting the ballistic missile before it entered Israeli airspace.
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