The IDF has confirmed that it failed to intercept a projectile that landed in Ben Gurion near Tel Aviv
Screenshot from Telegram/@bbbreaking
Israel’s main airport was struck by a ballistic missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Sunday morning. The missile hit a grove near an access road inside the perimeter of Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. Media reports suggest that at least six people were wounded.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that it failed to intercept the missile despite several attempts.
“An impact was identified in the area of Ben Gurion Airport,” the IDF said in a post on Telegram. The Israeli Air Force is investigating the failure.
The Houthis, who control western Yemen, including the capital and the port of Hodeidah, have launched a number of drones and missiles at commercial vessels passing through the Red Sea and at targets in Israel over the past year, aiming to pressure West Jerusalem over its military operation in Gaza. Israel launched the campaign following a deadly raid by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in October 2023. The Houthis said they would stop the attacks if Israel halts its operation in Gaza.
Israel has not launched strikes against Yemen in response to the Houthi attacks. The US, however, began air and naval strikes against Houthi targets in March, citing threats to Red Sea shipping. Last week, US President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to intensify strikes in Yemen and warned that the Houthis would be “completely annihilated” if they continued their attacks. The UK has also taken part in the strikes, with the Defense Ministry saying it targeted a Houthi-controlled facility.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accused Iran of arming the Houthis and warned there would be consequences. Tehran denied the claims. The US, however, announced sweeping sanctions on countries buying Iranian oil or petrochemicals on Thursday, citing Tehran’s alleged role in fueling conflict in the Middle East, among other things.
Russia has urged Washington to halt its strikes on Yemen. In a phone call in March with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called for an immediate end to the use of force and urged all sides to engage in political dialogue.
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04 May 2025
11:46 GMT
The Israel Defense Forces said it struck more than 100 targets in Gaza over the weekend, including Hamas operatives, tunnel infrastructure, and buildings used by the group.
The military added that it uncovered weapons caches in northern Gaza and in the Morag Corridor in the south. In Rafah, the Gaza Division said it destroyed dozens of “terror infrastructures” and killed several militants.
The Hamas authorities said Israeli strikes on Friday and Saturday killed dozens of people across the enclave.
- 10:58 GMT
Israeli journalist and political analyst Amir Oren has told RT that while Israelis are not fearful, Sunday’s strike on Ben Gurion Airport left many “concerned.”
He said Houthi missiles have targeted Israel before and were largely repelled by air defense, but this latest attack’s proximity to a major strategic site alarmed the public. “They were complacent because of the success up to now,” he said.
Oren added that Israel could consider striking Iran in response, as both West Jerusalem and Washington accuse Tehran of arming the Houthis, a claim the Iranian authorities deny. “[The US] has already undertaken a thousand missions against the Houthis, causing some damage, but not able to stop them from launching their attacks,” he said. “So the next probable target could be Iran, sponsoring Yemen, but this would take a decision coordinated with Washington.”
- 10:55 GMT
Israel is considering a direct strike on Yemen in response to this morning’s Houthi attack on Ben Gurion Airport, local media reports, citing a defense official. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to hold a security consultation at noon to discuss a potential response.
- 10:30 GMT
Spanish carrier Air Europa and Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air have canceled flights to Israel following the missile attack on Ben Gurion Airport. They joined other airlines, including Lufthansa, Air France, Austrian Airlines and Swiss Air Lines, which suspended service to the country earlier on Sunday.
- 10:14 GMT
Local journalist Nick Kolyohin has told RT that the missile struck near a plane preparing for takeoff as passengers were boarding, wounding several people.
“People didn’t have enough time to run for shelter,” he said, adding that while Israelis are accustomed to air raid sirens, “this time it was too close to them.”
Kolyohin said the strike shocked many, noting that Ben Gurion is Israel’s main international airport and a heavily protected facility. He said it was sheer luck the missile did not directly hit an aircraft, as it could have caused a tragedy with hundreds of casualties.
- 09:52 GMT
An Indian Airlines aircraft has been forced to return to India before landing at Ben Gurion Airport, immediately after the Yemeni missile strike.
⚡️Air India Flight from Delhi-Tel Aviv Appears to Divert Away From Israel After Alleged Houthi Missile Hits Perimeter of Ben Gurion Airport pic.twitter.com/cFI9MGLsaL
— RT_India (@RT_India_news) May 4, 2025
- 09:35 GMT
Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a senior official in the Houthi movement, has told the Qatari Al-Araby TV channel that the Houthis demonstrated their ability to strike sensitive targets in Israel with the attack on Ben Gurion.
He added that the group has “no red lines” in its fight against Israel. - 09:35 GMT
A video filmed inside Ben Gurion Airport captured passengers’ reactions at the moment the missile struck. People can be heard screaming while running for cover.
⚡️JUST IN:Indian Airlines aircraft returned to India before landing at Ben Gurion Airport, immediately after the Yemeni missile fell at the airport. pic.twitter.com/JoT0EitHIu
— S2FUncensored (@S2FUncensored) May 4, 2025
- 09:34 GMT
Benny Gantz, head of the Israeli opposition Blue and White party, has accused Iran for the attack on Ben Gurion.
“This is not Yemen – this is Iran. It is Iran that is firing ballistic missiles at the State of Israel, and it must bear responsibility… The shooting at the State of Israel is bound to lead to a sharp response,” he stated in a post on X. - 09:33 GMT
The Houthis have confirmed the group was behind the missile strike at Ben Gurion.
“We managed to hit Ben Gurion Airport with a hypersonic ballistic missile. The American and Israeli defense systems have failed. Aircraft traffic was stopped for an hour. We warn the airlines: Ben Gurion Airport is unsafe,” the group’s military spokesman, Yahya Saree, has said.
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