The Houthis announced on Sunday evening the imposition of a comprehensive air blockade on Israel, in what it described as a response to the Israeli government's decision to expand its military operations in the Gaza Strip.

Axar.az reports, citing Euronews, in a statement broadcast by its media outlets, Houthi spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree called on international airlines to take the warning seriously in order to preserve the safety of their travellers, saying that the decision came into effect immediately.

Sareei said, "We will impose the siege by repeatedly targeting Israeli airports, especially Lod (Ben Gurion) International Airport near Tel Aviv."

"We will not accept the continuation of the state of lawlessness that Israel is trying to impose on Arab countries, primarily Lebanon and Syria," the statement added.