Israel | Houthis fire rocket at Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv. In a rocket attack on Israel, the Houthi militia in Yemen hit the perimeter of Tel Aviv's international airport for the first time. The Israeli army confirmed that an impact was identified near Ben Gurion Airport. According to the Magen David Adom rescue service, eight people were injured. Israel threatened a harsh retaliation.

The Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack. They said in a statement that they targeted the airport with a hypersonic ballistic missile. The type of missile used by the Houthis could not initially be independently confirmed. The Houthis urged international airlines to avoid the airport for security reasons. Among them, the Lufthansa Group suspended its flights to and from Israel, initially until Tuesday.

Missile defense could not intercept the missile

In light of the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scheduled an urgent security meeting for the afternoon. He had previously announced "strikes" against the Houthis in a video message. That evening, the Israeli security cabinet also planned to discuss an expansion of attacks in the Gaza Strip.

Despite several attempts, Israel's missile defenses failed to stop the rocket. Videos on social media showed smoke rising and people panicking at the airport. Warning sirens sounded in numerous areas of Israel during the attack, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Air traffic was temporarily disrupted, and the roads leading to the airport were temporarily closed.

Defense Minister announces tough response

Following the attack, Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened a counterattack that would be significantly more severe. "Whoever attacks us, we will strike back sevenfold," Katz declared, apparently quoting the Bible. Israel's military had not attacked any targets in Yemen for about four months – likely in coordination with the United States, whose military has repeatedly bombed Houthi militia targets since March.

A taxi driver named Yossi, who was at Ben Gurion Airport, told the Israeli news portal ynet: "There was a rocket warning, and immediately afterward, an incredibly loud bang. There was no time to run and seek shelter in Terminal 3." It was immediately clear that the rocket had hit nearby. "Everything shook, small stones flew through the air. There was great panic."

Since the Israeli army resumed attacks in the Gaza Strip on March 18, the Houthi militia has also been regularly firing missiles toward Israel in solidarity with the Islamist Hamas. The Houthi motto is: "God is great, death to America, death to Israel, curse on the Jews, victory to Islam." The Houthis have recently intensified their attacks on Israel. Sunday was the third consecutive day in which rocket or drone attacks from Yemen against the Jewish state were reported.

Regarding the Gaza War, Prime Minister Netanyahu reportedly agreed in principle to plans to expand the attacks ahead of a scheduled security cabinet meeting. According to media reports, the Israeli military is already sending draft notices to tens of thousands of reservists. The Israeli news portal "ynet" reported that a major offensive in the Gaza Strip could begin as early as the coming days. The goal is to increase pressure on the Islamist Hamas to force the release of more hostages.

Humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate

An escalation of the attacks is likely to further exacerbate the already precarious humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. Aid organizations speak of catastrophic conditions. For a good two months, Israel has stopped allowing aid deliveries into the sealed-off territory, where around two million Palestinians live. The news portal Axios recently reported that the US and Israel are planning to use a private US company to transport aid supplies into the Gaza Strip, bypassing Hamas. dpa/nd