Missile Launched By Yemen's Houthis Strike Israel's Ben Gurion Airport

A ballistic missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels struck near Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport on Sunday, May 4, 2025, causing injuries, halting air traffic, and raising concerns about the effectiveness of Israeli and U.S. defense systems.

The attack, claimed by the Iran-aligned Houthis, intensified regional tensions amid ongoing conflicts involving Israel, Gaza, and Yemen.

Missile Impact and Airport Disruption

The missile landed near a road by a Terminal 3 parking lot, creating a crater "tens of metres" in diameter and depth, according to Yair Hetzroni, a senior Israeli police commander.

“You can see the scene right behind us here, a hole that opened up with a diameter of tens of metres and also tens of metres deep,” Hetzroni told reporters, noting no significant damage to infrastructure.

Videos circulating online, showed debris scattered on adjacent roads and a plume of black smoke near parked aircraft.

The Israeli ambulance service reported eight injuries, including a man with mild to moderate limb injuries and two women with mild head injuries.

Sirens blared across central Israel, prompting passengers at Ben Gurion to seek shelter in safe rooms.

The Israel Airports Authority temporarily suspended flights, redirected some, and closed airport entrances and train routes.

Operations later resumed, though flights by airlines like Air India and Lufthansa faced cancellations, and others, such as those to Newark and JFK, were delayed by about 90 minutes.

Houthi Claims and Defense Failures

The Houthis claimed responsibility for the strike, with military spokesperson Yahya Saree declaring, Israel’s main airport was “no longer safe for air travel.”

The group cited solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel’s genocide has killed over 52,495 people since October 2023, including 57 from starvation due to a siege, per Palestinian officials.

The Israeli military confirmed that defense systems, including Arrow and U.S.-operated THAAD, failed to intercept the missile, prompting an investigation.

Israeli Response and Political Fallout

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed retaliation, stating, “Whoever harms us will be harmed sevenfold.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened security officials to discuss a response.

Benny Gantz, leader of the Israel Resilience party, attributed the attack to Iran, saying, “It is Iran that is firing ballistic missiles at the state of Israel, and it must bear responsibility,” without providing any evidence..

Opposition figure Yair Golan criticized Netanyahu’s government, noting, “This is big for Netanyahu, this is big for the government,” and called for ending the war and securing the release of Israeli captives in Gaza.

Regional Context and U.S. Involvement

The strike follows intensified Houthi attacks on Israel and Red Sea shipping since late 2023, triggered by the Israel-Hamas war, which began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack.

U.S. airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, including 10 raids on al-Jawf and three on Marib on Sunday, have killed hundreds, marking the largest U.S. military operation in the Middle East since President Donald Trump’s January 2025 inauguration.

Despite these efforts, Houthi attacks persist, complicating ceasefire negotiations in Gaza.

The incident underscores vulnerabilities in Israel’s defense systems and escalating regional conflicts, with no immediate resolution in sight.