Middle East tensions escalate as Houthi missile strikes near Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport

A new flashpoint has emerged in the Middle East following a missile strike near Ben Gurion International Airport outside Tel Aviv, reportedly launched by Houthi forces in Yemen. The incident marks the first time a projectile has reached the vicinity of Israel’s main air gateway, escalating regional security concerns amid intensifying Israeli ground operations in Gaza.

According to Israeli authorities, the missile impact created a crater close to Terminal 3, only a few hundred meters from the airport runways. Although flights were temporarily halted, the Israel Airports Authority later confirmed that operations resumed shortly after emergency inspections. Eight civilians were hospitalized, including one man with moderate limb injuries and two women treated for minor head wounds.

The Iran-aligned Houthi group claimed responsibility for the strike, stating that a hypersonic ballistic missile had successfully targeted the airport. The group declared the attack as an act of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and warned that the airport was “no longer safe for air travel.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly blamed Iran for orchestrating the attack through its proxies, stating, “Israel will respond to the Houthi attack on our primary airport and, at a time and place of our choosing, to their Iranian terrorist masters.” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also issued a warning, saying, “Whoever strikes us will be hit seven times harder.”

The Israeli military initially reported that an unidentified projectile or debris had fallen near the airport and later confirmed the missile strike after multiple unsuccessful interception attempts. The launch point was located in Yemen, over 1,800 kilometers from Israel’s southern border.

Sirens sounded throughout central Israel, including Tel Aviv, moments before the impact. Eyewitnesses at the airport reported scenes of panic, with passengers rushing into designated safe rooms as alarms blared.

The strike prompted several European and U.S. carriers to suspend flights to and from Israel for the following days. The German group Lufthansa and the Spanish airline Air Europa announced that they had canceled all of their flights scheduled for yesterday to and from Tel Aviv.

Airport officials emphasized that this was the first time a missile had landed so close to a terminal and runway infrastructure.

While flight operations have since resumed, the incident underscores the increasing reach of regional threats and highlights vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure. The international community is monitoring the situation closely, amid growing concerns of a broader regional escalation.

The article Middle East tensions escalate as Houthi missile strikes near Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.