The IDF has confirmed that it failed to intercept a projectile that landed in Ben Gurion near Tel Aviv.
Israel’s main airport was struck by a ballistic missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Sunday morning. The missile hit a grove near an access road inside the perimeter of Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. Media reports suggest that at least six people were wounded.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that it failed to intercept the missile despite several attempts.
“An impact was identified in the area of Ben Gurion Airport,” the IDF said in a post on Telegram. The Israeli Air Force is investigating the failure.
The Houthis, who control western Yemen, including the capital and the port of Hodeidah, have launched a number of drones and missiles at commercial vessels passing through the Red Sea and at targets in Israel over the past year, aiming to pressure West Jerusalem over its military operation in Gaza. Israel launched the campaign following a deadly raid by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in October 2023. The Houthis said they would stop the attacks if Israel halts its operation in Gaza.
Israel has not launched strikes against Yemen in response to the Houthi attacks. The US, however, began air and naval strikes against Houthi targets in March, citing threats to Red Sea shipping. Last week, US President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to intensify strikes in Yemen and warned that the Houthis would be “completely annihilated” if they continued their attacks. The UK has also taken part in the strikes, with the Defense Ministry saying it targeted a Houthi-controlled facility.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accused Iran of arming the Houthis and warned there would be consequences. Tehran denied the claims. The US, however, announced sweeping sanctions on countries buying Iranian oil or petrochemicals on Thursday, citing Tehran’s alleged role in fueling conflict in the Middle East, among other things.
Russia has urged Washington to halt its strikes on Yemen. In a phone call in March with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called for an immediate end to the use of force and urged all sides to engage in political dialogue.
04 May 2025
09:35 GMT
Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a senior official in the Houthi movement, has told the Qatari Al-Araby TV channel that the Houthis demonstrated their ability to strike sensitive targets in Israel with the attack on Ben Gurion.
He added that the group has “no red lines” in its fight against Israel.
09:35 GMT
A video filmed inside Ben Gurion Airport captured passengers’ reactions at the moment the missile struck. People can be heard screaming while running for cover.
09:34 GMT
Benny Gantz, head of the Israeli opposition Blue and White party, has accused Iran for the attack on Ben Gurion.
“This is not Yemen – this is Iran. It is Iran that is firing ballistic missiles at the State of Israel, and it must bear responsibility... The shooting at the State of Israel is bound to lead to a sharp response,” he stated in a post on X.
09:33 GMT
The Houthis have confirmed the group was behind the missile strike at Ben Gurion.
“We managed to hit Ben Gurion Airport with a hypersonic ballistic missile. The American and Israeli defense systems have failed. Aircraft traffic was stopped for an hour. We warn the airlines: Ben Gurion Airport is unsafe,” the group’s military spokesman, Yahya Saree, has said.
09:12 GMT
Six people have been wounded in the missile attack, Israeli media report, citing medical officials. The injured include a man in his 50s with limb trauma and two women affected by a shockwave. A man in his 60s was lightly hurt by flying debris, while two other women were injured while running for shelter. All were taken to hospitals in central Israel.
09:06 GMT
Lufthansa, Swiss, and Austrian airlines have suspended flights to Israel following the missile strike on Ben Gurion.
08:52 GMT
Commenting on the incident, Defense Minister Israel Katz warned, “Whoever harms us, we will strike them sevenfold.”
08:52 GMT
Flights were temporarily suspended for about an hour but were resumed later.
“An investigation is underway regarding the impact at the Ben Gurion Airport area,” the Israel Airport Authority said in a statement.
08:50 GMT
Surveillance footage and videos posted online show the moment of impact.
More at link (with video/pics)
https://www.rt.com/news/616721-israel-houthi-missile-airport/
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Fox.