Flights at Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport were abruptly halted Sunday after a ballistic missile, launched by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, struck near Terminal 3, sending smoke billowing and travelers scrambling for cover The attack, which briefly paralyzed Israel’s busiest airport, left at least three people with minor injuries and damaged an access road, though no direct hit to the terminal was reported
Air raid sirens sounded across central Israel as the missile evaded interception attempts by Israel’s advanced defense systems, including the US-made THAAD and Israel’s Arrow system The missile’s impact created a large crater near the terminal’s parking area, forcing authorities to suspend all flights and close access roads and train services for about an hour
The Houthis claimed responsibility, warning international airlines that Ben Gurion is “no longer safe for air travel.” In response, at least six major airlines, including Lufthansa, Air India, and Swiss, suspended flights to Tel Aviv, with others rerouting or delaying service Israel’s government vowed retaliation, with security officials meeting to discuss escalating military operations in Gaza and against Houthi targets
While airport operations resumed after the brief shutdown, the incident has heightened concerns over the safety of international flights to Israel as regional tensions escalate
