On the morning of May 4, a ballistic missile launched by the Yemeni group Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, exploded hundreds of meters from the main terminal of David Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. Israeli and U.S. air defense batteries failed to intercept the missile, which sent travelers and staff scrambling in panic. The impact temporarily shut down operations at Israel’s most important international airport, as major foreign carriers announced that they have suspended flights to the country.
The attack prompted defiant statements from Israeli leaders vowing revenge, “Anyone who hits us, we will hit them seven times stronger,” stated Defense Minister Israel Katz. In a televised statement claiming responsibility for the attack, Ansar Allah military spokesperson Yahya Saree said that the Israeli airport was “no longer safe for air travel,” while threatening more attacks to come. The following day, in retaliation, Israeli aircraft destroyed numerous passenger planes and facilities at Sanaa International Airport in Yemen, alongside other civilian infrastructure in the country. …..more
