Missiles launched from Yemen halt flights at main Israeli airport

Sirens triggered in several areas

A missile, that the Israeli military said was fired from Yemen, is intercepted. Reuters

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The Israeli military said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen towards Israel early on Thursday, prompting a brief suspension of flights at Ben Gurion Airport.

Hours later, a second missile was intercepted, again forcing a temporary suspension of flights at the airport.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for launching both missiles. In a statement, the group's spokesman Yahya Saree said the "operation successfully achieved its goal, causing millions of occupying Zionists to rush to shelters and bringing the airport to a standstill".

The missiles triggered sirens in several areas, the military said. More than a million residents went into bomb shelters when the first missile was targeted, Israeli media reported.

Operations at Ben Gurion were temporarily halted, and several flights were delayed in the air.

Earlier this month, a missile launched from Yemen landed near Ben Gurion Airport, injuring several people in a rare failure of the country's air defences.

Undeterred by Israeli and US strikes, Yemen's Houthi rebels have continued to fire missiles at Israel in what they describe as an act of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, although they have agreed to halt attacks on US ships.

Israel has carried out retaliatory strikes, including one on May 6 that damaged Yemen's main airport in Sanaa, and others last week that hit the Red Sea ports of Hodeidah and Salif.

Since the start of the Israel-Gaza war in October 2023, the Houthis have launched dozens of missile and drone attacks against Israel, most of which have been intercepted or fell short.