TEHRAN – Sunday’s missile strike by Yemen’s Ansalala movement at Yemen’s Ben Gurion airport shows a major and vigilant violation within Israel.
The attacks show Israel’s vulnerability more than ever, demonstrating the region’s new phase. Now Israel should lick that wound. The ripple effects of the attack continue to resonate throughout the Palestinian territory that has been occupied for many years.
The missile, identified as a high-sound ballistic type, was hit within a restricted area at an airport near Terminal 3, injuring eight individuals and temporarily halted flight operations.
This incident is unprecedented, both in scale and boldness. Despite multiple intercept attempts, Israel’s advanced multi-layer missile defense systems (including US-supplied THAAD and arrow interceptors) aim to neutralize the next threat: This failure raises serious questions about Israel’s defense preparations against a new generation of missiles.
Located near Tel Aviv, Ben Gurion Airport is Israel’s main international gateway. It handles approximately 25 million passengers per year under normal conditions.
Not only is it a central focus for tourism and international trade, it is also important for the country’s global economic ties and Jewish diaspora relationship.
Additionally, the airport is deeply integrated into Israeli military infrastructure, encouraging the rapid deployment of military and equipment.
Security at the facility is maintained through coordinated efforts between the IDF, Israeli police, and differentiation units.
The missile strike revealed several important vulnerabilities in Israel’s security architecture.
Limitations to Missile Defense: The inability to intercept postponed missiles highlights the gap in missile defense networks, particularly against sophisticated threats that combine speed, stealth and maneuverability.
Geographical exposure: Ben Gurion’s location – from the main population and political centres – even from distant conflict zones such as Yemen, we remember the valuable targets of long-range attacks.
An obstacle to intelligence and early warning: successful missile launches highlight possible intelligence blind spots regarding the evolving capabilities of the resistance movement.
Economic vulnerability: Airport closures caused immediate disruption. In particular, Israel’s aviation sector suffered a loss of $28.8 million in the first nine months of 2024 due to the Gaza conflict, resulting in widespread cancellations that reduced passenger traffic by 34% and led to job losses.
Historical significance of the attack
The missile strike at Ben Gurion Airport represents a turning point in the Arab-Israel conflict. It not only challenges Israel’s image of military immortality, but also reconstructs the strategic calculations of the region.
This is the first time Rai Al-Youm editor-in-chief Abdel Bari Atwan has received support from major forces, just as this is the first time Yemeni-made supersonic missiles have reached the heart of Israel’s most sensitive installations. This development reflects both the technological advancements of the resistance group and the failure of Israeli intelligence and deterrence mechanisms.
The strategic and symbolic importance of attacks can be analysed in several important dimensions.
First, the attack showed that Yemeni resistance and groups aligned with the axis of resistance had reached a level of ability to change the fighting equation and put Israel in a defensive position.
Second, the event had significant psychological and social consequences on Israeli society, creating a wave of fear and anxiety among the citizens of the regime and security agencies.
Third, the attack was not only a military victory for Yemen, but also brought new hope and motivation to the Arab and Muslim countries and the axis of resistance.
Finally, the attack exposed the hypocrisy and inaction of Arab countries claiming support for Palestine, showing that only countries that believe in resistance can change the historical equation.
The attack on Ben Gurion marks the beginning of a new era of regional conflicts where resistance was initiating, and Israel is no longer considered invincible.