Eight injured as Houthi missile lands near Israel's main airport

Projectile fired from Yemen lands close to aviation hub in rare air defence failure

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A missile launched from Yemen on Sunday landed near Ben Gurion Airport outside Tel Aviv, Israel's main international airport, injuring several people in a rare failure of the country's air defences.

Footage showed smoke rising from the impact site near an airport building, as Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the hit.

Airlines including Wizz Air and Lufthansa suspended flights in response to the attack, which Israel's airports authority said was the first to strike so close to the terminal and runways. Eight people

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised a multi-stage response against the Houthis. "We have acted against them in the past and we will act in the future ... it will not happen in one bang, but there will be many bangs," he said.

Mr Netanyahu added that Israel would respond against the Houthis' "Iranian terror masters" at a "time and place of our choosing".

The Houthi rebels acknowledged responsibility in a televised statement by the group's military spokesperson Yahya Saree. Mr Saree reiterated a warning to airlines that the Israeli airport was "no longer safe for air travel".

The Israeli military confirmed that the missile was fired from Yemen and landed within the perimeter of Ben Gurion Airport. It said a "hit was identified" despite "several attempts" being made to intercept it.

Missile launched from Yemen hits Israel's Ben Gurion airport - in pictures

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  Travellers wait outside Israel's Ben Gurion airport for news on flights after the country activated air defences against a missile launched from Yemen that hit the airport on May 4. AFP

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  Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea delivers a televised statement about the attack. EPA

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  Members of Israeli security services inspect a crater near a road outside the airport. AFP

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  Police inspect the damage caused by the missile. EPA

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  Police inspect damage caused by the missile. EPA

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  A security guard stands at the entrance of Ben Gurion Airport. Reuters

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  Emergency personnel survey the site of the missile attack. Reuters

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  Israeli medical emergency services outside Israel's Ben Gurion airport. AFP

Israeli police reported an “impact” near the airport. Yair Hezroni, the police's central district chief, said at the scene in a video released by the force that “you can see the area just behind us: a crater was formed here, several dozen metres wide and several dozen metres deep”.

Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz threatened a forceful response. “Anyone who hits us, we will hit them seven times stronger,” he said.

Several people at the airport posted videos filmed on smartphones that showed black smoke clearly visible nearby, behind parked aircraft and airport buildings.

Israel's Magen David Adom emergency service said eight people sustained minor injuries. A man and a woman with light wounds were being taken to hospital, it said.

Airport authorities said the projectile had landed by a road near a Terminal 3 car park.

Several airlines cancelled flights to Ben Gurion airport after the Houthi strike. Getty Images

The Houthis have been launching missiles at Israel since the start of the Gaza war, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians. Sunday's attack came hours before a meeting of the Israeli security cabinet that was expected to discuss a possible intensification of the war in Gaza.

Most Houthi missiles have been intercepted, although some have penetrated Israel's air defence systems, causing damage. The rebels have also used anti-ship missiles against US Navy vessels in the Red Sea.

Flight cancellations

Following Sunday's strike, a number of airlines cancelled services for the day, including Swiss International Air Lines and the Lufthansa Group, which includes ITA Airways and Brussels Airlines. Budget carrier Wizz Air said it was suspending its service to Israel until Tuesday.

Air India returned a mid-air flight to New Delhi following the strike and Air France emptied a plane of passengers that was set to depart Paris.

Udi Bar Oz, head of Ben Gurion Airport, said the airport was up and running less than 30 minutes after the missile hit a road nearby. He said the airport and Transportation Minister were providing information to carriers to minimize damage to flight schedules in the coming days.

After a ceasefire deal with Hamas in January, foreign carriers had begun to resume flights to Israel after halting them for much of the last year and a half, although with less capacity and frequency.

The latest spate of cancellations is a major blow to Israelis, who for months have had limited options for air travel. National carrier El Al has maintained services but has faced heavy criticism for alleged price gouging.

United Airlines, which offered a valuable alternative carrier to the US when it resumed its service in March, announced it was suspending flying until at least May 8.

El Al said on Sunday that it would offer special prices from Greece and Cyprus to Israel to help Israelis who have had flights cancelled get home. Shares in the airline climbed sharply on Sunday as more international carriers paused flights.