Summary
- Yemen’s Houthi rebels claim responsibility for strike
- Israeli PM Netanyahu threatens retaliation
- Most Houthi missiles have been intercepted
- Foreign airlines cancel flights to Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv, Israel – A missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels landed near Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport on Sunday, sparking widespread panic among passengers and prompting swift threats of retaliation from Israeli leadership. This marks a significant escalation in regional tensions as the Iran-aligned group intensifies its attacks in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, claimed responsibility for the strike in a statement, declaring it part of their “solidarity operations” with Gaza. The missile, one of several fired towards Israel in recent months, is the first since March to breach Israel’s air defense systems.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attack, directly blaming Iran and vowing a strong response.
“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 wrote on X (formerly Twitter). In a separate video, he warned, “We will do what we need to do to take care of our security, to respond effectively, and to give Iran due warning that this cannot continue.”
The missile caused no reported casualties or significant damage, but its proximity to Ben Gurion Airport—Israel’s primary international gateway—triggered alarm and temporary disruption of flights.
In a defiant response, the Houthi movement later issued a statement threatening to impose “a comprehensive aerial blockade” on Israel, saying they intend to repeatedly target its airports in retaliation for what they described as Israel’s “aggressive” operations in Gaza.
The Israeli military, after conducting an internal review, attributed the failure to intercept Sunday’s missile to a technical issue with the interceptor system. However, they clarified that detection and alert systems functioned correctly.
“Initial findings reveal no malfunction in the detection procedure, interception systems, or Homefront Command alert mechanisms,” the army stated.
This latest attack highlights the growing regional dimension of the Gaza conflict, with militant groups outside of Palestine stepping up efforts to pressure Israel and its allies. The international community remains on edge as fears of a broader conflict continue to mount.
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