Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has promised strong retaliation against Yemen’s Huthi rebels and their Iranian allies following a rare missile strike that hit the vicinity of Ben Gurion Airport, injuring six and temporarily halting air travel.
The missile, launched from Yemen, struck near Terminal 3 of Israel’s main international airport on Sunday morning, just hours before Israel’s military announced the mobilization of “tens of thousands” of reservists to intensify its ongoing war in Gaza against Hamas.
An Israeli military spokesperson confirmed to AFP that it was “the first time” a missile had directly impacted inside the airport perimeter.
A police video showed a large crater near the control tower, though no airport infrastructure was damaged.
Netanyahu, in a video message posted on Telegram, declared, “It will not happen in one bang, but there will be many bangs,” and assured that Israel had acted against the Huthis before and “will act in the future.”
He later posted on X, saying Israel would also respond to Iran “at a time and place of our choosing.”
The strike caused panic among travelers.
An AFP journalist at the scene described hearing a “loud bang” at around 9:35 am, adding that the “reverberation was very strong.” Passengers were quickly directed to shelters, including bunkers.
Magen David Adom emergency services confirmed at least six people sustained light to moderate injuries.
One witness said, “It is crazy to say but since October 7 we are used to this,” referencing the Hamas attacks that sparked the current Gaza conflict.
Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, issued a stern warning: “Anyone who hits us, we will hit them seven times stronger.”
The Huthis claimed responsibility, stating they used a “hypersonic ballistic missile” to target the airport.
The group, which controls much of Yemen, has previously launched drones and missiles at Israeli and Red Sea targets, claiming solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Israel’s Air Force attributed the failure to intercept the missile to a “technical issue” in the interceptor’s targeting mechanism rather than its detection systems.
The attack prompted flight suspensions from several airlines, including Air France, ITA Airways, and Lufthansa Group carriers.
An incoming Air India flight was diverted to Abu Dhabi.
Despite the chaos, flights resumed later on Sunday with Israeli aviation authorities confirming that Ben Gurion Airport was “open and operational.”
Central Israel’s police chief Yair Hezroni emphasized the impact, saying, “You can see the area just behind us: a crater was formed here, several dozen metres wide and several dozen metres deep.”
In response, Israel’s security cabinet convened for emergency deliberations.
Military Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir later confirmed plans to escalate operations in Gaza
“This week we are issuing tens of thousands of orders to our reservists to intensify and expand our operation in Gaza.”
He added, the army would target Hamas infrastructure “both on the surface and underground.”
