Houthi ballistic missile hits near Israel's biggest airport, Defence Minister vows 'sevenfold retaliation'

Tel Aviv, May 4 (IANS) A ballistic missile launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen struck near Israel's Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday after multiple interception attempts by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) failed, prompting a temporary halt in all takeoffs and landings at the country's main international airport.

However, the Israel Airport Authority confirmed the reopening of airspace following the temporary suspension of flight operations.

The missile impacted a grove adjacent to an access road within the airport's perimeter, according to the Times of Israel.

However, a direct hit on terminal infrastructure was averted.

"In the area of Ben Gurion Airport, an impact was identified," said the IDF in a statement, confirming that several attempts to intercept the missile had failed.

The Israeli Air Force's aerial defence units are now probing the reasons behind the unsuccessful interceptions.

Authorities have launched a full-scale investigation into the breach of Israel's air defence and the missile's impact site near one of the country's most sensitive zones.

Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's national emergency service, reported that eight people were injured in the attack.

A man in his 50s sustained light-to-moderate trauma injuries to his limbs. Two women, aged 54 and 38, were reported to be in good condition after being affected by the shockwave.

A 64-year-old man was lightly injured by debris, while two more women, aged 22 and 34, suffered injuries while running for shelter.

Two others were treated for acute anxiety. All the injured were transported to hospitals in central Israel.

Following the missile strike, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning: "Whoever harms us, we will strike them sevenfold."

So far, Israel has refrained from launching retaliatory strikes on Yemen despite a series of Houthi attacks, as the United States leads a broader military campaign against the Iran-backed group.

Houthi leaders hailed the attack as a demonstration of their long-range strike capability.

Senior Houthi official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti told Al-Araby TV that his group has "no red lines" in its confrontation with Israel and emphasised their ability to hit sensitive Israeli targets, The Times of Israel reported.

Additionally, Houthi media chief Nasser al-Din Omar issued a warning to international airlines against flying to or from Israel, claiming such operations jeopardised aircraft safety.

--IANS

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