Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged retaliation after a missile launched by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels landed near Israel’s main airport, Ben Gurion, on Sunday morning.
In a video shared on social media, Netanyahu warned of future strikes, stating: "We attacked in the past, we will attack in the future."
The missile landed close to the terminal, injuring four people in the blast and two others while they were heading to a shelter, according to Israeli media citing emergency responders.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree declared in a televised address that the airport is “no longer safe for air travel.”
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant responded firmly, saying: "Anyone who hits us, we will hit them seven times harder."
Online footage, yet to be verified, appeared to show drivers taking cover as a missile hit, sending a column of black smoke into the air near the airport, which lies on the outskirts of Tel Aviv.
Flights were temporarily grounded at the airport, though operations have since resumed. Major carriers like Lufthansa, Air France, and Delta canceled flights scheduled for Sunday.
Sirens sounded across parts of the country ahead of the impact. The Israeli Air Force has launched an investigation into why the missile was not intercepted.
Police commander Yair Hetzroni showed reporters the blast site, pointing to a large crater near Terminal 3’s parking area, but noted that there was no major infrastructure damage.
Netanyahu is expected to meet with defense and government officials to determine Israel’s response, according to local reports.
The Houthis, aligned with Iran and based in Yemen, have frequently fired missiles at Israel in support of Hamas amid the Gaza conflict. While most of these attacks are intercepted, this strike represents a rare breach of Israel's advanced air defenses.
In addition to targeting Israel, the Houthis have attacked ships in the Red Sea, prompting U.S.-led airstrikes in retaliation, with support from the UK.
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