Attack Near Tel Aviv Airport
At least eight individuals sustained injuries on Sunday when a ballistic missile launched from Yemen hit close to Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. The government, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, has responded with promises of “seven times more retaliation.” The Iran-supported Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for this attack, indicating their capability to target sensitive locations in Israel.
Despite several unsuccessful attempts by the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) to intercept the missile, it struck near the country’s major airport, leading to temporary stops in flight operations. About an hour post-strike, airport officials announced that air traffic had returned to normal.
Local reports indicate that while terminal infrastructure was not directly hit, the missiles caused disturbances near the airport’s access road.
Following the incident, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz asserted, “Anyone who harms us will face seven times the impact.”
Despite the ongoing Houthi attacks, Israel has not retaliated against Yemen so far.
Houthis Justify the Attack
In a statement to Qatar Al-Arabi’s television, Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti, a senior Houthi official, suggested that the attack demonstrated their capability to strike crucial targets within Israel, emphasizing a “red line” in their conflict with the country.
The media head of the Houthis, Nasser Al-Din Omar, reportedly expressed concerns regarding the safety of aircraft.
The Palestinian group Hamas commended the Houthi’s “precise” strike on the Israeli airport.
Investigation into the Incident
The Israeli Air Force’s Air Defense Force is currently looking into why the interceptions failed against the missiles, which penetrated one of Israel’s most vulnerable air defense zones.
The Israeli national emergency service, Magen David Adom (MDA), confirmed that eight people were injured during the attack.
Background on Houthi Actions
Iran-backed Houthis, who control regions in Yemen, claim they are retaliating in solidarity with the Palestinians through missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and shipping routes in the Red Sea amidst the ongoing Gaza War. They reported a third missile attack on Israel within two days on Saturday.
Since the onset of the Gaza War in 2023, most missile attempts by the Houthis have been thwarted by Israeli air defense systems. The group had suspended their attacks during a two-month ceasefire but warned in March of a potential resumption against international targets in response to Israeli aid restrictions in Gaza.
This series of events escalated after air strikes began on March 15, aimed at provoking responses from U.S. forces and securing transport routes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. U.S. military actions against the rebels started under President Joe Biden and intensified under his successor. The U.S. has reported over 1,000 strikes against targets in Yemen since March.
