Houthi missile hits Ben-Gurion Airport, wounding six, disrupting flights
“Whoever harms us, we’ll harm them sevenfold,” vows Defense Minister Israel Katz. “It is Iran that is firing ballistic missiles at the State of Israel, and it must bear responsibility,” says National Unity chief Benny Gantz.
A ballistic missile fired from Yemen struck near Israel’s Ben-Gurion International Airport on Sunday morning, lightly to moderately wounding six people and disrupting takeoffs and arrivals.
The attack triggered air-raid sirens across central Israel, including in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and the Shfela/Judaean Foothills. Several attempts were made to intercept the missile, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
The U.S.-made THAAD system attempted to intercept the missile but failed, as did Israel’s Arrow system, Channel 14 military correspondent Hillel Bitton Rosen reported. Authorities are investigating whether the blast near Terminal 3 was caused by a direct hit, missile fragments or interceptor debris. Police bomb squads and security forces remain on scene.
Magen David Adom updated its casualty figures on Sunday afternoon, reporting that six people were treated and transported to hospitals: a man in his 50s in light-to-moderate condition with limb injuries; two women, ages 54 and 38, in light condition due to blast-related trauma; a 64-year-old man lightly wounded by flying debris; and two women, aged 22 and 34, who were hurt while running for shelter.
Medical personnel at the site where a missile fired from Yemen hit near Ben-Gurion International Airport, May 4, 2025.
The victims were evacuated to Shamir Medical Center (formerly known as Assaf Harofeh Medical Center) in Be’er Ya’akov, and Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer in Ramat Gan.
The incident sparked panic at Ben-Gurion Airport. Police and rescue personnel quickly cordoned off the impact area at Terminal 3 and dispatched fire teams to check for additional hazards.
The chairman of the airport workers’ union said one person suffered a confirmed minor injury in the vicinity of Terminal 3, and that authorities are investigating whether further safety procedures will impact upcoming flights.
Israeli Police were actively searching for fragments and hazardous materials linked to the projectile. “We urge the public to remain close to protected areas and not to approach or touch any suspicious debris. Officers from the Central District are sweeping the Shfela region for any further signs of impact,” police said.
In the wake of the strike, Ben-Gurion Airport halted all takeoffs and landings for approximately 30 minutes, forcing at least three inbound aircraft to remain airborne. While airport officials have since announced the resumption of activity, significant delays are expected throughout the day.
Despite air traffic gradually resuming, police confirmed that entrances to the airport remain blocked as emergency teams continue operating at the scene.
People wait in traffic outside Ben-Gurion International Airport after a Houthi missile attack, May 4, 2025.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement on Sunday afternoon vowed that “there will be blows” in response to the attack.
“We are acting against them,” Netanyahu said of previous IDF military operations against the Houthis in Yemen. “We have acted in the past and we will act in the future. I cannot detail everything.
“The U.S., in coordination with us, is also acting against them. It’s not a one-and-done—but there will be blows,” vowed the Israeli premier.
Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed a forceful response. “Whoever harms us, we’ll harm them sevenfold,” he said.
National Unity Party chairman Benny Gantz responded sharply, blaming Tehran rather than Yemen for the attack:
“This is not Yemen—this is Iran. It is Iran that is firing ballistic missiles at the State of Israel, and it must bear responsibility,” Gantz wrote on X.
In Yemen, senior Houthi official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti told Qatar’s Al-Araby Television Network that the group had proven its ability to hit “sensitive and strategic” sites in Israel. He declared that the Iran-backed rebel force has “no red lines” in its war against the Jewish state.
Nasser al-Din Omar, head of Houthi media operations, warned international airlines to avoid Israeli airspace, saying doing so posed a danger to aircraft safety.
Sunday’s attack is the latest escalation by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen, who in recent months have repeatedly launched long-range ballistic missiles and drones at Israel, targeting strategic sites including ports, military bases, and now, the country’s main international airport.
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