Houthis Strike Ben Gurion Airport and Tel Aviv Target with Hypersonic Missile and Drone
In escalation tied to Gaza war, Yemen’s Ansar Allah claims successful strikes on Israel and vows more attacks until the blockade ends and war stops.
Watan-On Friday, Yemen’s Ansar Allah (Houthis) announced two military operations: one targeting Ben Gurion Airport with a hypersonic ballistic missile, and another striking a vital Israeli site in occupied Jaffa using a Yafa-type drone. This follows an earlier hypersonic missile strike that bypassed Israel’s air defense systems and caused major air traffic disruption at the airport.
In a statement, military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the operations were carried out “in support of the oppressed Palestinian people and their resistance, and in response to the genocidal crimes committed by the Zionist enemy in Gaza.”
He confirmed that the missile strike on Lod Airport (known in Israel as Ben Gurion Airport) was successful and evaded interception, forcing millions of Israelis into shelters and halting airport operations for nearly an hour.
He added that the drone strike also hit a significant Israeli target in Jaffa.
The statement warned airlines that have yet to comply with the airspace ban to suspend all flights to occupied Palestine, adding that the air and sea blockade on Israel will continue until the war on Gaza ends and the siege is lifted.
بيان القوات المسلحة اليمنية بشأن تنفيذ عمليتين عسكريتين أولاهما استهدفت مطار اللد المسمى إسرائيليا مطار بن غوريون في يافا المحتلة وذلك بصاروخ باليستي فرط صوتي، والأخرى استهدفت هدفا حيويا للعدو الإسرائيلي في منطقة يافا المحتلة وذلك بطائرة مسيرة نوع يافا.
pic.twitter.com/SJhi4qyFDo— العميد يحيى سريع (@army21yemen) May 9, 2025
Israeli sources claimed the missile was intercepted, with explosions heard in Jerusalem and east Tel Aviv. Flights at Ben Gurion Airport were briefly suspended, and emergency services reported injuries during the rush to shelters. Flight-tracking data showed significant disruption in air traffic.
Israeli MK Avigdor Lieberman commented, “It’s unbelievable that millions are still running to shelters after a year and seven months of war.”
The Houthis had previously declared their intention to impose both air and naval blockades on Israel and warned airlines of impending restrictions. On Thursday, they vowed a “devastating” response to Israeli airstrikes that targeted key Yemeni infrastructure earlier in the week.
A Houthi source confirmed that operations against Israel would persist, promising “more to come.”
Amid this escalation, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire agreement with the Houthis, ending American airstrikes on Yemen in exchange for halting attacks on U.S. vessels in the Red Sea. The surprise move angered Israeli officials, who viewed it as an abandonment by Washington.
The Israeli magazine Epoch reported that Trump’s decision stemmed from a desire to avoid deeper involvement in Yemen—even at the expense of Israeli security. According to unnamed Israeli security sources, the move reflects Trump’s broader policy of maximizing U.S. gains while minimizing entanglements.
مشاهد تظهر هروب الإسرائيليين من الشواطئ في تل أبيب عقب سماع دوي صفارات الإنذار جراء إطلاق صاروخ من #اليمن#حرب_غزة #الأخبار pic.twitter.com/gYmtG3XQQd
— قناة الجزيرة (@AJArabic) May 9, 2025
The Houthis clarified that the ceasefire applied only to American targets and that their strikes on Israel would continue until the Gaza offensive ends.
Since mid-March, the U.S. has carried out over 1,300 air and naval strikes on Yemen, killing and injuring hundreds. In response, the Houthis resumed targeting Israeli sites and Red Sea-bound vessels after Israel re-launched its Gaza assault on March 18.
Backed by full U.S. support, Israel has committed what is widely seen as genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, leaving over 172,000 Palestinians dead or wounded—mostly women and children—and more than 11,000 missing.
