A missile fired by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels landed in an open area in central Israel early Sunday, setting off air raid sirens at Ben Gurion International Airport and escalating tensions in a region already strained by the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Israeli military officials reported no casualties or significant damage from the attack. However, local media broadcast footage of passengers at Ben Gurion Airport rushing to shelters. The airport authority confirmed that normal operations resumed shortly after the incident.
“The missile appeared to have fragmented midair,” an Israeli military spokesperson said. “We made several attempts to intercept it using our multi-tiered air defenses, but the incident is still under review.” The military attributed explosions heard in the area to interceptor missiles.
This long-range attack marks a significant escalation in the Houthis’ involvement in the broader regional conflict sparked by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. While the rebels have repeatedly launched drones and missiles toward Israel since October, most have been intercepted over the Red Sea.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted at a military response during a cabinet meeting following the attack. “The Houthis should have known by now that we exact a heavy price for any attempt to harm us,” Netanyahu said, referencing a previous Israeli airstrike on the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah in July after a similar incident.
Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesman, claimed the rebels fired a ballistic missile targeting “a military target” in Jaffa, part of Tel Aviv. Another senior Houthi official taunted Israel on social media, posting a message in Hebrew.
The missile attack comes amid heightened regional tensions, with Iran-backed groups across the Middle East engaging in attacks on Israeli and U.S. targets. The conflict has also impacted international air travel, with carriers periodically canceling flights to and from Israel since the war’s outbreak.
Simultaneously, Israel faces ongoing challenges on its northern border with Lebanon, where it has exchanged fire with Hezbollah. Netanyahu addressed this issue during the cabinet meeting, stating, “The status quo will not continue. This requires a change in the balance of power on our northern border.”
As Israel grapples with multiple fronts, the international community continues efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza. However, recent talks have stalled over disagreements on border control and the release of hostages held by Hamas.
The Houthi missile attack underscores the complex web of regional alliances and conflicts emanating from the Gaza war, posing significant challenges for Israel’s military and diplomatic strategies in the coming months.
