Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran

Tehran, May 5: Iran has dismissed as "baseless" allegations by US and Israeli officials linking Tehran to a recent missile attack on Israel by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

In a strongly worded statement issued Monday, Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the claims as ‘an affront to the powerful but oppressed Yemeni nation’ and criticized the ongoing US military strikes in Yemen, calling them a ‘flagrant violation’ of the UN Charter and international law.

The statement came shortly after the Houthis declared a comprehensive air blockade on Israel, citing retaliation for the ongoing Gaza offensive. The group claimed responsibility for a missile strike that struck a driveway near Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv, causing minor injuries and prompting multiple airlines to cancel flights.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Iran for orchestrating the attack through its Houthi allies. “We attacked in the past, we will attack in the future,” Netanyahu warned, vowing retaliation against both the Houthis and their ‘Iranian terror masters.’

The escalation comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East, with the Houthis ramping up missile and drone strikes since November 2023 in solidarity with Palestinians. They have vowed to halt attacks only if Israel ceases its Gaza operations and facilitates humanitarian aid.