Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed retaliation against Yemen's Houthi rebels and what he called their "Iranian terror masters" after a missile launched from Yemen struck near Ben Gurion International Airport, Israel's main air travel hub. The attack, which caused widespread panic among passengers and disrupted air traffic, marks a significant escalation in hostilities linked to the ongoing war in Gaza.
"Attacks by the Houthis emanate from Iran," Netanyahu wrote on X. "Israel will respond to the Houthi attack against our main airport AND, at a time and place of our choosing, to their Iranian terror masters."
The missile strike sent a plume of smoke into the air, temporarily halted flights, and led to road and rail closures around the airport. Israeli paramedic service Magen David Adom reported that four people were lightly wounded. Sirens sounded across the country, and video footage from the terminal showed passengers running and screaming as the impact triggered chaos inside the airport.
Yahya Saree, military spokesperson for the Houthis, said in a statement that the group had launched a hypersonic ballistic missile, declaring that Israel's main airport was "no longer safe for air travel." Israel's military acknowledged that several interception attempts failed to prevent the missile from reaching its target.
European and American airlines responded swiftly. Delta Air Lines cancelled its flights between New York and Tel Aviv for Sunday and Monday. The Lufthansa Group, including Swiss, Austrian, and Brussels Airlines, suspended services through Tuesday. ITA and Air France halted flights into Israel until at least Wednesday, while Ryanair cancelled Sunday's services.
Netanyahu, in a video posted to Telegram, warned that Israel's response would be measured but forceful. "We have acted against them in the past and we will act in the future, but I cannot go into detail... it will not happen in one bang, but there will be many bangs."
The timing of the strike coincided with an Israeli cabinet vote on whether to expand military operations in Gaza. The Israeli Defense Forces have already begun calling up additional reserve troops in anticipation of broader action.
The Houthis, who control large portions of Yemen, have been firing missiles at Israel since October 2023, following the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas. While most previous attacks were intercepted, several have breached Israel's defenses. The U.S. and U.K. have previously conducted military strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen in response to attacks on international shipping routes in the Red Sea.
