Netanyahu vows ‘strong’ retaliation after Houthi missile lands at Ben Gurion airport
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Israel says a ballistic missile fired from Yemen by Iran-backed Houthi rebels slammed into a roadside next to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport on Sunday, wounding four bystanders and forcing a brief flight halt. Sirens sounded nationwide as Arrow and US-supplied THAAD batteries failed to intercept the rocket, prompting questions about the country’s vaunted air-defence umbrella.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the strike “an attack directed by Iran” and promised a response “at a time and place of our choosing,” while Defence Minister Israel Katz warned any enemy that “hits us will be hit seven times harder.” Security chiefs convened late Sunday to map out options, with Israeli media predicting retaliatory raids on Houthi targets and possible Iranian proxies in Syria or Iraq.
The Houthis claimed responsibility and threatened a “comprehensive aerial blockade” on Israel unless it halts operations in Gaza, signalling another escalation in the regional shadow war. Major airlines including Lufthansa, Air France and Delta cancelled Sunday flights, though Israel reopened the airport within hours and reported only minor damage. The incident underscores widening risks as Yemen’s rebels expand their missile reach beyond Red Sea shipping lanes into Israel’s heartland.
