The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has vowed to respond to Yemen’s Houthis, after they targeted Israel’s main airport with a ballistic missile.
The attack prompted major foreign airlines to halt their scheduled flights to Tel Aviv, while the Iranian-backed rebel group warned it would target Israeli airports in what it called a “comprehensive air blockade.”
Targeting Ben Gurion Airport
On Sunday morning, a ballistic missile fired from Yemen hit near the main terminal of Ben Gurion airport, BBC reported citing Israeli authorities. The explosion injured four people, while two other people were wounded on their way to a shelter, with no serious injuries reported.
According to Israeli media, both Israel’s long-range Arrow interceptor and US THAAD anti-missile system failed to intercept the incoming missile, raising questions about Israel’s ability to intercept such attacks.
The Israeli Air Force said it opened an investigation to identify the causes of interception failure. Meanwhile, the Israeli military said that an initial inquiry showed a “technical issue” with the interceptor itself, with no malfunction with any systems or procedures, CNN reported.
Houthis Escalate Threats
The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack on Ben Gurion airport. In a statement, the group’s spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said that the Houthis targeted the Israeli airport with a “hypersonic ballistic missile.” He added: “The American and Israeli defense systems failed to intercept the missile aimed at Ben Gurion Airport.”
Later on, the Iranian-backed group warned that it would impose a “comprehensive air blockade” on Israel by “repeatedly targeting airports,” calling international carriers to cancel all scheduled flights to Israeli airports.
The group said that its attacks come in response to Israel’s “genocide” against the people of Gaza and the Israeli military plans to expand its offensive in the Strip.
The Houthis have been targeting Israel with drones and missiles since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023 in solidarity with the Palestinians. The group also has targeted Red Sea shipping, prompting the US to launch a campaign against Houthi targets in Yemen. However, this has not stopped the group’s missile launches against Israel.
Israel Vows Retaliation
In response to Sunday’s missile attack, Netanyahu vowed revenge against the Houthis. In a video address on social media, the Israeli Prime Minister said: “We acted before, we will act in the future too. I can’t elaborate all of that. The US, in coordination with us, is also operating against them. It’s not ‘one and done’ – but there will be hits.”
Later, Netanyahu vowed retaliation against Iran too. “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,” he posted on X.
Similarly, the Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, threatened with a strong response. “Anyone who hits us, we will hit them seven times stronger,” he said, according to BBC.
Iranian Response
Iran has responded to the Israeli threats, warning that it would not tolerate any Israeli attack. The Iranian Defense Minister, Aziz Nasirzadeh, said on Sunday: “if we are attacked or a war is imposed on us, we will respond with might.”
Nasirzadeh told Iranian TV, as quoted by Mehr news agency, that Tehran would attack American bases in the region. “We will attack their interests and their bases, and we will not be reluctant and will not see any limits in this regard. We are not enemies of our neighboring countries, and they are our brothers, but American bases on their soil will be our targets,” he said.
On Monday, however, the Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement rejecting claims that Tehran was behind Houthis actions against Israel. The statement emphasized that the Houthis support for Palestinians is an “independent decision,” adding that linking it to Iran was a “deceptive claim” intended to cover up Israeli war crimes in Gaza.
Flight Suspension
Following the missile attack, several major airlines cancelled their flights to and from Tel Aviv until after Tuesday, May 6, including Lufthansa, Air France and Delta.
The Lufthansa Group, which includes Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines, announced that it would suspend all flights to and from Israel until Tuesday. “Due to the current situation, the Lufthansa Group has decided to suspend its flights to and from Tel Aviv up until and including May 6. Affected guests will be notified and rebooked on alternative flights, subject to availability,” the airline said.
Gaza Offensive Expansion
In a separate development, Israel’s cabinet on Monday approved expanding the ongoing offensive in Gaza, the Associated Press (AP) reported citing an Israeli official. The Israeli plans include seizing more territory in the Gaza Strip gradually, in a major escalation of the ongoing fighting in the enclave.
This move comes as the Israeli military was sending call-up notices to tens of thousands of reservists. On Sunday, Israel’s military chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, said that Israel would “operate in additional areas” in Gaza and continue its strikes against Hamas’ infrastructure.
