Houthi Missile Strikes Near Israel’s Main Airport, Exposing Gaps in Defense Systems

In a troubling escalation, a missile launched from Yemen struck near Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport on Sunday, briefly shutting down operations and raising alarms over the country’s air defense vulnerabilities.

The missile, reportedly fired by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, managed to bypass multiple interception attempts by Israel’s advanced defense systems. This marked the first time the group has successfully targeted Israel’s main international airport — a high-profile and heavily protected location.

For about 30 minutes Sunday morning, flights in and out of Ben Gurion Airport were suspended after the missile landed nearby. Trains were also halted, and police urged the public to avoid the area. Debris from the impact littered the roads leading to the terminal, and videos circulating on social media showed plumes of black smoke rising near the airport.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged that several interception attempts were made using the Arrow missile defense system, and that the incident is under review. A U.S.-deployed THAAD anti-missile system is also stationed in Israel, but neither system prevented the missile’s impact.

The Houthi rebels quickly claimed responsibility, stating the attack was in response to what they called Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza. Spokesperson Yahya Saree said the missile used was a hypersonic ballistic missile, capable of traveling at speeds up to Mach 16 and equipped with stealth features.

“The American and Israeli defense systems failed to intercept the missile aimed at Ben Gurion Airport,” Saree said.

This incident comes amid ongoing Houthi attacks against Israel, with the group claiming to act in solidarity with Palestinians. Sunday’s strike marks the third consecutive day of missile launches from Yemen toward Israeli territory.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz promised a fierce retaliation, stating, “We will attack whoever attacks us sevenfold.” The country’s security cabinet convened later in the day to assess the situation.

Military analyst Amir Bar Shalom called the missile strike both accurate and deeply concerning. “If you’re launching from 2,000 kilometers and hitting near the airport — that’s impressive accuracy,” he told CNN. “We have to take this threat seriously.”

Bar Shalom noted that Israel’s military would investigate why the interception failed, considering variables such as radar detection, response timing, and missile trajectory.

Following the strike, several major European airlines suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv, including Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings. Flights are expected to resume after May 6.

Meanwhile, Hamas praised the attack, referring to Yemen as “the twin of Palestine,” lauding its resilience and defiance of foreign aggression.

This isn’t the first time a Houthi missile has evaded Israel’s defenses. In December 2023, a similar failed interception led to a strike in Tel Aviv that injured over a dozen people. The Houthis claimed they had used another hypersonic missile, “Palestine 2,” targeting a military facility. In July, the group claimed responsibility for a deadly drone attack on the city — the first of its kind.

Israel has responded to Houthi threats by launching strikes on key facilities in Yemen, including ports and power stations. However, the broader U.S. military campaign — which includes airstrikes, B-2 stealth bombers, and hundreds of millions of dollars in munitions — has so far failed to stop the flow of missile attacks from Yemen.

According to estimates, the U.S. effort to counter Houthi missile launches has already cost nearly $1 billion within just three weeks earlier this year. Despite the scale and intensity of the campaign, the group continues to pose a serious threat to Israeli and regional security.