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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that his government will carry out multiple retaliatory strikes after a missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels landed near Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday. The airport, near Tel Aviv, is Israel’s main international gateway.
In a video posted on his official X account, Netanyahu said, “It’s not a one-and-done. There will be blows.” He added, “We have acted against them before, and we will continue to act. I cannot reveal everything, but the United States is also working with us against them.”
Several European and US airlines have cancelled flights to and from Israel's Ben Gurion Airport over the next few days following a missile strike near the airport. This development comes after a fragile ceasefire deal with Hamas in January had allowed many foreign carriers to gradually resume flights to Israel, which had been suspended for much of the past year due to heightened tensions, The Guardian reported.
The missile, which the Houthis say was launched in support of Palestinians in Gaza, landed just 75 metres from Terminal 3 and caused a 25-metre-deep crater. According to Israeli media, it bypassed several air defence systems, including the US-made THAAD and Israel’s own Arrow system.
Though the missile did not hit airport buildings directly, the explosion triggered panic among passengers and raised serious questions about Israel’s air defence capabilities. The military has launched a full investigation into how the missile slipped through four layers of defence.
Eight people were injured in the strike, Israel’s emergency service Magen David Adom reported.
Defence Minister Israel Katz echoed Netanyahu’s tough stance, saying, “Whoever harms us, we will harm them sevenfold.”
Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said the attack was meant to show that “Israel’s main airport is no longer safe.”
The missile strike comes as Israel prepares to expand its military campaign in Gaza, and amid failed ceasefire talks. The Houthis, who control parts of Yemen, have targeted Israel and Red Sea shipping since the start of the Gaza war in 2023.
