Israeli air defense systems, supported by American technology, failed to intercept a ballistic missile fired early Sunday morning by the Yemen-based Houthi terrorist group.
The rocket struck near an access road to Israel’s main international airport near Tel Aviv, temporarily halting takeoffs and landings. Israeli emergency services reported several people were lightly injured, likely while rushing to nearby shelters.
Several flights bound for Israel turned back midair, and other airlines considered canceling future trips. According to the Israel Airports Authority, activity at the airport resumed within 30 minutes of the strike, with only one flight redirected.
Israeli media later reported that additional flights were either grounded or forced to return mid-flight.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called an emergency meeting with senior defense officials to discuss a response to what officials described as the most serious Houthi attack to date. The war cabinet was expected to meet in the evening to consider expanding military operations in the Gaza Strip.
The airport strike marked the fifth Houthi attack on Israel over the weekend, signaling a possible escalation. It followed weeks of intense US-led airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.
“This is an enemy Israel has not encountered before,” said Danny Citrinowicz, a Tel Aviv-based research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies. “It is far from Israel and highly motivated. Its struggle against Israel is based on ideology, and there is simply no textbook solution to this challenge.”
“Whoever harms us will be harmed sevenfold,” Defense Minister Israel Katz declared shortly after the attack.
Over 70 missiles launched since start of Israel-Hamas war
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, the Iranian-backed Houthi group has launched over 70 rockets at Israel in what it claims is an act of solidarity with Palestinians.
“It is highly unlikely that Israel will be able to stop this, so long as the war in Gaza continues,” Citrinowicz added.
On Sunday, Israeli media reported that tens of thousands of reservists were being called to duty to reinforce operations against Hamas in Gaza, where fighting has dragged on for more than a year.
Israel has successfully intercepted most incoming attacks, with the exception of one fatality caused by a Houthi drone in Tel Aviv last summer. In response, Israel has carried out several airstrikes on Houthi infrastructure in Yemen, although these have since ceased under a reported agreement with the US, which is now leading military operations against the group.
Last week, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued a warning to Iran on X (formerly Twitter): “We see your LETHAL support to the Houthis. We know exactly what you are doing. You know very well what the US Military is capable of — and you were warned. You will pay the CONSEQUENCE at the time and place of our choosing.”
US strikes are aimed at preserving freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, major global shipping lanes that the Houthis continue to threaten. The broader goal is to disrupt missile and drone strikes on Israel and limit Iranian influence in the region.
But despite weeks of US military action, the continued attacks on Israel suggest these goals have not yet been met..
In Israel, calls mounted to hold Iran accountable for the airport strike.
“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,” wrote former Defense Minister Benny Gantz on X. “The Israeli government must wake up… Firing at Israel must lead to a severe response against Tehran.”
“The Americans have been using nearly all of their capabilities against the Houthis,” Citrinowicz said. “What else could Israel possibly add?”
He also cautioned that direct strikes on Iran would not eliminate the threat, given the strategic challenges the Houthis pose both regionally and globally.
The Houthis have long destabilized the region, with repeated attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Yemen has been embroiled in civil war for more than a decade. The Houthis control the capital, Sanaa, and most of northern and western Yemen, including key Red Sea ports. Despite international peace efforts, they continue to operate a parallel government and maintain independent security forces.
According to Inbal Nissim-Louvton, a Yemen researcher at Tel Aviv University’s Dayan Center and the Open University of Israel, the Houthis' current focus on Israel goes beyond Palestinian solidarity.
“They are taking advantage of the situation in order to strengthen their regional position and within Yemen,” she told The Media Line. “The Palestinian cause generates a lot of domestic sympathy and softens internal criticism. It also shores up their position vis-à-vis Saudi Arabia and the UAE.”
She said the response must go beyond military action.
“What is needed is a lengthy, concerted and multilayered effort,” Nissim-Louvton explained. “In addition to military action, economic sanctions are needed, and the local coalition against the Houthis needs to be bolstered.”
On Saturday, Yemen’s internationally recognized Prime Minister Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak resigned, citing political disputes—a sign of the fragile coalition opposing the Houthis in one of the world’s poorest countries.
Following Sunday’s airport strike, Israeli analysts warned of potential economic fallout, given the airport’s critical role.
“Any sign of an escalation or instability is bad for the economy,” said Zafrir Asaf, an expert on economic development and policymaking. “A temporary shutdown of the airport is not the only thing going on, as it appears Israelis are on the verge of the intensification of the fighting in Gaza.”
Since October 2023, international flights to Israel have sharply declined. More than 40 airlines suspended service, and incoming tourism nearly evaporated. Ticket prices surged, and the Israeli government was forced to subsidize domestic airlines with billions in insurance guarantees to restore routes—most of which only recently resumed.
Asaf said the economy is resilient, but signs of strain are showing. Credit ratings have been downgraded, and foreign investment is falling.
“Foreign investors are willing to tolerate a certain degree of uncertainty,” he said. “But a constant trickle of rockets is a challenge that needs to be faced.”
While Houthi attacks have yet to cause large-scale casualties or destruction in Israel, they serve a broader purpose.
“Their aim is not really to hurt or kill,” Citrinowicz said. “Their real aim is to stop flights to Israel and create economic pressure that will translate to political pressure that will result in the end of the fighting in Gaza. The attack today took them a major step forward.”