Israel Intercepts Missile from Yemen, Sparking Panic and Disrupting Ben Gurion Airport

Watan-The Israeli military announced on Thursday evening that it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen, which triggered sirens in widespread areas, including occupied Jerusalem. The missile caused panic as many Israelis rushed to shelters.

The Israeli ambulance service reported several injuries as millions of citizens scrambled to safety. The attack also disrupted navigation at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.

The ambulance service confirmed in a statement that several Israelis suffered minor injuries while attempting to reach the shelters, and numerous cases of panic were recorded. Channel 12 reported that authorities closed Ben Gurion Airport entirely due to the missile attack from Yemen.

According to the official broadcast agency, the sirens were heard in several areas in occupied Palestinian territories, notably in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and surrounding areas.

This missile launch follows the confirmation by Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, who reiterated the continuation of what he called a “no-fly zone on the Israeli enemy.” In a speech broadcast by Houthi’s Al-Masirah channel on Thursday, he added, “This week, operations from Yemen reached 9 operations using hypersonic missiles, ballistic missiles, and drones.” He emphasized that “one of the key operations this week targeted Ben Gurion Airport as part of the ongoing effort to enforce the air embargo on Israel.”

Last week, Israeli warplanes launched heavy airstrikes targeting Sana’a International Airport and power stations in the regions of Hizam, Dhahban, and Asr, along with a cement plant in the Amran Governorate. These strikes were in response to previous attacks targeting Ben Gurion Airport. The Israeli military statement confirmed that the airstrikes targeted “Houthi infrastructure at Sana’a Airport and other vital facilities,” adding that the strikes were part of a broader response to the security threats posed to air and maritime navigation.

It is noteworthy that since July 2024, the Israeli military has been conducting Operation “Long Arm,” targeting vital and military sites in Houthi-controlled areas, including the Hodeidah port, oil storage facilities, and power plants. These operations continued with large-scale airstrikes on Yemeni ports in September, followed by the launch of Operation “White City” in December, targeting energy facilities, ports, and airports in Hodeidah and Sana’a.

Since November 2023, the Houthi group has intensified its attacks on Israeli ships in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Sea, in addition to targeting Israeli sites within the occupied Palestinian territories, in response to the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The latest Houthi attack on Israel comes near the end of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gulf tour, which started in Saudi Arabia and included visits to Qatar and the UAE.

Trump had announced on May 6 that the United States would immediately cease its airstrikes in Yemen, following a widespread American assault on Yemen starting in mid-March, targeting cities and military sites, which led to dozens of casualties, including women and children, and the destruction of residential buildings and power outages in some areas