Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned of multiple retaliatory strikes after a missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels landed near Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday. The airport, located near Tel Aviv, is Israel’s busiest international hub.
In a video posted on his official social media account, Netanyahu said, “This won’t be the last strike. We will hit back.” He added, “We’ve taken action against them before, and we will keep doing so. I can’t share all the details, but the United States is also helping us.”
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Following the missile strike, several European and American airlines canceled flights to and from Ben Gurion Airport. This strike comes after a fragile ceasefire agreement with Hamas in January had allowed many international airlines to start flying to Israel again, following a year-long suspension due to security concerns.
The missile, fired by the Houthis in support of Palestinians in Gaza, landed just 75 meters from Terminal 3 and created a large crater. It managed to bypass Israel’s air defense systems, including the US-made THAAD and Israel’s own Arrow system. While it didn’t directly hit the airport buildings, the explosion caused panic among passengers and raised concerns about Israel’s defense capabilities. Israel’s military has launched an investigation to figure out how the missile got through multiple layers of defense.
The attack injured eight people, according to Israel’s emergency service, Magen David Adom. Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, backed Netanyahu’s strong response, saying, “Anyone who attacks us will face seven times the harm.”
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A Houthi spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said the strike was meant to show that Israel’s main airport is no longer safe.
This missile strike comes as Israel is preparing to expand its military campaign in Gaza, while ceasefire talks have failed. The Houthis, who control parts of Yemen, have been targeting Israel and Red Sea shipping since the Gaza war began in 2023.
