In a major escalation, a ballistic missile launched by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels hit a grove within the perimeter of Israel's Ben-Gurion International Airport early Sunday morning, triggering the temporary closing of the country's main airspace.This is the first time a missile has hit inside the airport complex, raising serious concerns regarding regional air safety and defence weaknesses.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed the attack and said that several attempts at interception were made, but the missile was able to land close to an access road near Terminal 3. At least one man was hurt in a parking lot nearby, the Civil Aviation Authority Employees' Committee reported. "There is an injured person from the fall near Terminal 3, near the planes," the chairman of the committee said. Flight operations had been shut down as crisis teams and security forces scanned runways for more threats. Operations resumed after approximately one hour, and no major damage was reported.

Sirens Throughout Israel, Houthis Claim Responsibility

Sirens sounded throughout central Israel—Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and as far north as Haifa and Nahariya. Social media sites were filled with videos of the missile striking, with one of the videos of the blast near the grounds of the airport becoming viral. The IDF confirmed the missile attack and stated, “Sirens sounded across Israel due to a projectile launch from Yemen.”

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Yemen's Houthis claimed responsibility for a missile launched at Israel's Ben Gurion airport. Speaking to local media, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree took responsibility for the attack and gave a dire threat, “Ben Gurion Airport is no longer safe for air travel.”

The missile attack has sparked intense reactions from Israeli military and political leaders. The Israeli Air Force's air defense array has initiated a comprehensive probe into the failure of interception. Former Defence Minister and National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz was squarely blamed for the attack on Iran, and not merely on the Houthis. "This is not Yemen, this is Iran," Gantz wrote on X, adding that Tehran needs to be held responsible. “The Israeli government must wake up. Fire on Israel must lead to a severe response in Tehran," He wrote.

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