Video: A missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Sunday, May 4, struck near Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, the country’s primary international gateway, leaving a 25-metre-deep gaping crater.
The missile strike sent up a plume of smoke, sparking panic among travellers inside the terminal, and briefly halted flights and commuter traffic, reported AP.
Israeli media said multiple international airlines cancelled flights following the strike.
The missile reportedly bypassed four layers of air defence and hit a grove adjacent to an access road within the airport’s perimeter – one of the country’s most sensitive zones – creating a 25-meter deep crater.
Eight injured by missile strike
At least eight people were injured in the attack, Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel’s national emergency service, said, reported New York Post.
Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said their several attempts to intercept the missile failed before it landed near the airport, sending a plume of smoke into the air. Although a direct hit on terminal infrastructure was averted, yet it caused panic among passengers in the terminal building.
Missile landed near Israel Airport’s Terminal 3 parking lot
Senior Israeli police commander Yair Hetzroni guided reporters to the impact site, pointing out a crater left by the missile, which airport officials said struck near a road beside the Terminal 3 parking lot.
“You can see the scene right behind us here, a hole that opened up with a diameter of tens of meters and also tens of meters deep,” Hetzroni said, adding that there was no significant damage, NYP reported.
Air India flight diverted
An Air India flight from Delhi to Tel Aviv was diverted to Abu Dhabi following the missile attack. Subsequently, Air India flights to and from Tel Aviv have been suspended till May 6.
An airport official at Tel Aviv also confirmed the diversion of the flight, as per AFP.
The Air India flight AI139, operated with a Boeing 787 aircraft, will be coming back to Delhi, PTI reported, citing sources.
US strikes on Red Sea oil port
On April 19, the US attacked a key Yemen oil port controlled by the Houthis overnight and killed dozens of people, reported Bloomberg.
As per Bloomberg’s report, the assault on the Ras Issa fuel-import terminal appeared to be one of the biggest and deadliest since US President Donald Trump ordered an aerial campaign against the Houthis in mid-March. The strikes have so far failed to stop Houthi maritime assaults in the Red Sea and missile attacks on Israel, causing the American military to consider supporting a ground offensive on the group by Yemeni factions.
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